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Cardiac function and cognition in older community‐dwelling cardiac patients
Author(s) -
Eggermont Laura H.P.,
Aly Mohamed F.A.,
Vuijk Pieter J.,
de Boer Karin,
Kamp Otto,
van Rossum Albert C.,
Scherder Erik J.A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
psychogeriatrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1479-8301
pISSN - 1346-3500
DOI - 10.1111/psyg.12245
Subject(s) - ejection fraction , cardiology , medicine , cognition , neuropsychology , cardiac function curve , memory span , heart failure , working memory , psychiatry
Background Cognitive deficits have been reported in older cardiac patients. An underlying mechanism for these findings may be reduced cardiac function. The relationship between cardiac function as represented by different echocardiographic measures and different cognitive function domains in older cardiac patients remains unknown. Methods An older (≥70 years) heterogeneous group of 117 community‐dwelling cardiac patients under medical supervision by a cardiologist underwent thorough echocardiographic assessment including left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac index, left atrial volume index, left ventricular mass index, left ventricular diastolic function, and valvular calcification. During a home visit, a neuropsychological assessment was performed within 7.1 ± 3.8 months after echocardiographic assessment; the neuropsychological assessment included three subtests of a word‐learning test (encoding, recall, recognition) to examine one memory function domain and three executive function tests, including digit span backwards, T rail M aking T est B minus A , and the S troop colour–word test. Results Regression analyses showed no significant linear or quadratic associations between any of the echocardiographic functions and the cognitive function measures. Conclusions None of the echocardiographic measures as representative of cardiac function was correlated with memory or executive function in this group of community‐dwelling older cardiac patients. These findings contrast with those of previous studies.