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Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
Cognitive impairment in heart failure: a systematic review of the literature
Raymond L C Vogels1, Philip Scheltens, Jutta M Schroeder-Tanka
1Department of Neurology, Sint Lucas-Andreas Hospital, Jan Tooropstraat 164, 1061 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. r.vogels@vumc.nl
Insights
Heart failure (HF) is linked to cognitive impairment, affecting memory and psychomotor speed. This systematic review confirms the association, highlighting the need for further research in heart failure patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) and cognitive impairment are increasingly prevalent in aging populations.
- These conditions are associated with frequent hospitalizations, increased mortality, and occur frequently together.
- Existing evidence suggests HF independently impacts various cognitive domains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the relationship between cognitive deterioration and heart failure.
- To evaluate the impact of heart failure on cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted on electronic databases from 1966 to May 2006.
- Twenty-two controlled studies investigating cognitive function in HF patients were selected.
- Data on cognitive performance, memory, psychomotor speed, and depression were extracted and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Pooled analysis revealed diminished neuropsychological performance in HF patients compared to controls.
- Heart failure patients had an odds ratio of 1.62 for cognitive impairment (95% CI: 1.48-1.79, p<0.0001).
- This included 2937 HF patients and 14,848 control subjects.
Conclusions:
- The review confirms a significant relationship between heart failure and cognitive impairment.
- Further systematic neuropsychological data and neuro-imaging are needed.
- Representative populations of HF patients are crucial for future studies.
Background:
Heart failure (HF) and cognitive impairment are common medical conditions that are becoming increasingly prevalent in the aging Western population. They are associated with frequent hospitalisation and increased mortality, particularly when they occur simultaneously. Evidence from a number of studies suggests that HF is independently associated with impairment in various cognitive domains.
Aims:
This systematic literature review evaluates the relation between cognitive deterioration and heart failure.
Methods:
We searched electronic databases from 1966 to May 2006 for studies that investigated cognitive function in HF patients. Twenty-two controlled studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for analysis. Study characteristics and data on global cognitive performance, memory scores, psychomotor speed and depression scores were extracted and analysed using the Cochrane Review Manager software.
Results:
Pooled analysis shows diminished neuropsychological performance in HF patients, as compared to control subjects. In a pooled sample of 2937 heart-failure patients and 14,848 control subjects, the odds ratio for cognitive impairment was 1.62 (95% confidence interval:1.48-1.79, p<0.0001) among subjects with HF.
Conclusion:
This review confirms the relationship between HF and cognitive impairment, but it also stresses the need for additional systematic neuropsychological data and adequate neuro-imaging from representative populations of HF patients.
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