Heart Issues in Seniors Impact Anti-Amyloid Therapy

New study finds many older adults with cognitive impairment develop conditions requiring anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy each year.

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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A new study has found that a significant portion of older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia develop new cardiovascular diagnoses each year that may require treatment with anticoagulants or thrombolytics - medications that doctors often avoid during anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody therapy for Alzheimer's disease due to increased bleeding risk.

Why it matters

Anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies are a new class of Alzheimer's treatments that can modestly slow cognitive decline, but they carry a risk of brain bleeding. This study provides important context for clinicians, patients, and caregivers as they weigh the potential benefits and risks of these anti-amyloid treatments.

The details

The study analyzed data from over 12,000 adults aged 65 and older and found that within one year, about 5.7% of those with mild cognitive impairment and 6.7% of those with dementia developed a new condition that could indicate a need for anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy. This highlights that a notable share of older adults with cognitive impairment may develop cardiovascular issues that require standard treatments, which are discouraged during anti-amyloid therapy due to bleeding risks.

  • The study analyzed data from 2010 to 2020.

The players

Dae Hyun Kim

Associate director and senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research.

Anna L. Parks

Assistant professor, University of Utah, Division of Hematology.

Hebrew SeniorLife

An affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a national senior services leader dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging.

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What they’re saying

“Our results provide national, real-world estimates of how often people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia develop conditions requiring anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy.”

— Dae Hyun Kim, Associate director and senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research (Neurology)

The takeaway

This study highlights the potential trade-offs clinicians and families must consider when deciding whether to pursue anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody therapy for Alzheimer's, given the increased bleeding risk and the high incidence of cardiovascular conditions requiring standard treatments that are often avoided during this therapy.