Aspirin use is associated with a lower likelihood of cognitive decline among older women at high cardiovascular risk, according to an observational study in BMJ Open.

Researchers used Swedish registries to identify some 700 women aged 70 to 92, most of whom had a 10-year CV risk of 10% or higher. Low-dose aspirin use was assessed at baseline, and psychiatric exams were conducted at baseline and 5 years later.

Women who took aspirin had less cognitive decline then nonusers. However, the risk for dementia did not differ significantly between aspirin users and nonusers — possibly because of the relatively short follow-up, according to the authors. They write: “Our finding that ASA use influenced cognitive function may reflect an effect on preclinical dementia, indicating that treatment must start early to have a sufficient neuroprotective effect.”

Source: BMJ