Cognitive Changes 5 Years After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

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Abstract
COGNITIVE CHANGE during the first several weeks after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been extensively investigated,1 but relatively few studies2-4 have examined longer-term outcomes. In one study5 in which patients were followed up for 2 years after surgery, the investigators concluded that there was no evidence of late cognitive decline. In 2 studies6,7 in which patients were followed up for up to 5 years after surgery, however, a decline in cognitive performance from 1 to 5 years was noted. Moreover, this delayed decline appeared to be more frequent in some cognitive domains than in others.7 Individual case studies8 of late cognitive decline have also been reported.