Heart surgery increases Alzheimers risk, say's latest research.

[Guest guest]

Source:Case Western Reserve

UniversityDate:2005-08-25URL:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/08/050825\

072235.htm

 

New Research Suggests Heart Bypass Surgery Increases Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease

Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers have discovered that

patients who have either coronary artery bypass graft surgery or coronary

angioplasty are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

 

The research, which appears in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's

Disease (http://www.j-alz.com), pinpoints stress and trauma of the surgery as

the major cause for the increased risk.

 

Led by Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD, professor of pharmacology at BUSM, researchers

compared 5,216 people who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG)

and 3,954 people who had a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)

in 1996 and 1997. Over the course of five years, 78 of the patients who had

bypass surgery and 41 of those who had angioplasty developed Alzheimer's

disease.

 

" The coronary bypass patients had a 70 percent increased risk of developing

Alzheimer's disease, " said Wolozin, co-author of the study. " This increased

incidence of neurocognitive degeneration associated with heart bypass surgery

provides further incentive for more studies to better characterize the risks of

cardiac surgery on the brain. "

 

According to Wolozin, previous studies show some heart surgery patients

experience memory problems immediately following the procedure. However, at a

one-year follow-up most patients regain cognitive function.

 

Researchers believe this early cognitive impairment is an immediate reaction to

the stress of surgery.

 

" Heart bypass surgery represents a traumatic insult to the brain, particularly

by reducing oxygen supply to the brain and increasing the stress response, " said

Wolozin.

 

" We believe that the compensation that occurs by one year masks an underlying

deficit in the central nervous system caused by the heart surgery. As

individuals age, this underlying deficit might exacerbate progressive cognitive

deficits associated with mild cognitive impairment, a precursory phase before

diagnosis of Alzheimer's. "

 

Wolozin and his researchers are currently working with researchers from the

Framingham Heart Study to determine if these same observations can be duplicated

in their studies.

 

" If these observations are confirmed, there are measures that can be taken to

protect the brain during heart bypass surgery, " explained Wolozin. " Antioxidants

might offer some protection, as well as memantine, a medication that helps slow

the progression of Alzheimer's disease. There may also be other neuroprotective

agents still in development that could shield the brain from cognitive

degeneration during and following surgery. "

 

 

###

 

The article is " Assessment of the Emergence of Alzheimer's Disease Following

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery or Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary

Angioplasty " by Todd A. Lee, Benjamin Wolozin, Kevin B. Weiss and Martin M.

Bednar (Communicated by Craig Atwood). It appears in the Journal of Alzheimer's

Disease, Vol. 7, Number 4 published by IOS Press.

 

About the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (www.j-alz.com) is an international

multidisciplinary journal to facilitate progress in understanding the etiology,

pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics, behavior, treatment and psychology of

Alzheimer's disease. The journal publishes research reports, reviews, short

communications, book reviews, and letters-to-the-editor. The journal is

dedicated to providing an open forum for original research that will expedite

our fundamental understanding of Alzheimer's disease.

 

About IOS Press

Commencing its publishing activities in 1987, IOS Press (www.iospress.com) is a

rapidly expanding scientific, technical, medical and professional publishing

house focusing on a broad range of subject areas. Headquartered in Amsterdam,

IOS Press publishes approximately 100 new books per annum and 70 international

journals, covering topics ranging from computer science and mathematics to

medicine and the natural sciences. Electronic access to all journals is now

available. IOS Press also maintains offices in the Washington, DC area and

Berlin and a co-publishing relationship with Ohmsha, Ltd (Tokyo).

 

 

 

 

 

This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Case Western Reserve

University.

 

 

 

 

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