Antiplatelet use in all-cause dementia and dementia subtypes among older adults: a population-based retrospective study.

AIM: To evaluate the appropriateness of antiplatelet use across dementia subtypes in older adults and to identify factors associated with inappropriate antiplatelet use.

METHODS

This population-based retrospective study enrolled adults aged ?65 years with dementia evaluated at a tertiary geriatric outpatient clinic at Gulhane Training and Research Hospital between 2016 and 2025. Antiplatelet (aspirin or clopidogrel) use was categorized as appropriate use, underuse, overuse, or appropriate non-use according to the 2021-2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with inappropriate antiplatelet use.

RESULTS

Among 683 older adults with dementia, 40.7% received antiplatelet therapy. Antiplatelet underuse and overuse were observed in 16.8% and 16.1% of the participants, respectively. Underuse was most prevalent in vascular dementia (38.9%), whereas overuse was most prevalent in Alzheimer disease (20.2%) and frontotemporal dementia (19.0%). In multivariable analyses, antiplatelet overuse was independently associated with diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] 4.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66-11.16) and inversely associated with current smoking (OR 0.06; 95% CI 0.06-0.67). Antiplatelet underuse was independently associated with female sex (OR 4.44; 95% CI 1.52-12.92).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the gaps between guideline recommendations and real-world practice and support the need for individualized dementia-sensitive antiplatelet treatment strategies.