Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation and Risk of Development of Dementia
Main finding · Incident dementiaResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 1.20 95% CI 1.11–1.29Authors' conclusion
POAF is associated with incident dementia among older adults undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Study context
- Population
- Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥66 years hospitalised for surgery, without prior dementia or stroke, 2008–2018
- Participants
- 670,745 beneficiaries
- Exposure
- Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) vs no AF
- Outcome
- New diagnosis of dementia after the index hospitalisation
Methodological details5% Medicare claims sample
- 5% Medicare claims sample
Main finding
Incident dementia
Hazard ratio
1.20
95% CI 1.11–1.29
By group
POAF
- Cardiac surgery
- 4.4%
- Noncardiac surgery
- 12.5%
No AF
- Cardiac surgery
- 4.6%
- Noncardiac surgery
- 9.3%
Cardiac surgery
POAF4.4%
No AF4.6%
Noncardiac surgery
POAF12.5%
No AF9.3%
POAFvs No AF
HR 1.20 (95% CI 1.11–1.29)
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
POAF incidence
- Cardiac surgery
- 22.7%
- Noncardiac surgery
- 2.2%
Original publication
Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation and Risk of Development of Dementia. JACC Adv. Published 12 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →