There is no evidence that heart bypass or heart valve replacement surgery induces cognitive decline, according to a new study.

Previous research has suggested that having heart surgery can have a negative impact on cognition - leading to memory and attention problems, for instance. Doctors at a hospital in Wurzburg, Germany, now report on a useful 'before' and 'after' study which suggests that heart patients have nothing to fear.

They tested cognition in a group of 52 patients prior to heart surgery and again five years on. No evidence for cognitive decline was found. The researchers point out that these patients were all following recommended advice - giving up smoking, taking statins to reduce cholesterol, and keeping their diabetes and high blood pressure well under control. Maybe it was this 'heart healthy' approach that kept them mentally sharp.

Source

Neurology September 2002