Drugs that are used for treating Alzheimer's disease have now been linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks and death.

The study indicated that drugs used for treating Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages can have a beneficial 'side effect' for Alzheimer patients of reducing the risk of heart attacks and mortality.

A large study of over 7,000 people with Alzheimer's disease in Sweden looked at cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), such as donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine, which are used for treating mild to moderate Alzheimer's .

Professor Peter Nordström, of Umea University, Sweden, and colleagues followed 7,073 people with Alzheimer's disease, who were on the Swedish Dementia Registry from May 2007 to December 2010.

They found that those who were on ChEIs had a 36% reduced risk of death from any cause, a 38% reduced risk of a heart attack, and a 26% reduced risk of death from cardiovascular causes such as stroke compared to people not taking ChEIs.

These results included adjustments for various confounding factors such as age, sex, whether the diagnosis was for Alzheimer's dementia or Alzheimer's mixed dementia (where more than one type of dementia occur simultaneously), level of care, and medical history including medications for other conditions.

Prof Nordström said the figures indicated that that for every 100,000 people with Alzheimer's disease, there would be 180 fewer heart attacks and 1,125 fewer deaths from all causes every year among those taking the alxheimer drugs compared to those not taking them.

Patients taking the highest recommended doses of ChEI drugs had the lowest risk of heart attack or death.

Side-effects of ChEIs are reported to include a beneficial effect on the vagus nerve, which controls the rate at which the heart beats.

The research is published online in the European Heart Journal.