Longitudinal assessment of neurocognitive function after coronary-artery bypass surgery.

A decline in cognitive function is associated with coronary artery bypass surgery.

This study evaluated the effect of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery on cognitive function. Researchers performed several neurocognitive tests on 261 coronary artery bypass surgery patients before the operation, at discharge, six weeks, six months, and five years after surgery.

They observed a progressive decline in cognitive function after CABG surgery in all the patients. The cognitive status at discharge was to found to be a good indicator of patients’ long-term cognitive function. The findings of this study demonstrate that coronary artery bypass surgery may impair cognitive function.