Peculiarities of the cognitive functioning of patients with cardiovascular disease preparing for heart transplantation and coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract

The problem of changes in brain activity in patients with somatic diseases in connection with the main pathology and due to surgical treatment is of particular importance in regard to an increase in the proportion of the population with cardiovascular diseases. The issue is significant with respect to the challenges of social rehabilitation of patients. The article discusses the results of a study of the cognitive functioning of patients with various cardiovascular diseases at the stage of preparation for high tech operations on the vessels of the heart. In total, 98 patients took part in the study, including 35 patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) III–IV functional classes (FC) (according to the New York Heart Association — NYHA) and systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV), whose average age was 50.97±11.24 years, and 63 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), the average age was 55.95±5.97. The study was carried out using a psychodiagnostic complex, including clinical, psychological, and experimental psychological research methods, which included the “method of series connections” (in the original “Trail Making Test — TMT”); subtests of “Similarity” and “Koos Cubes” from “the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale” Research; pathopsychological tests “10 words”, “Memorization of Stories”, “Simple Analogies”; “Test of Visual Retention” by A.Benton; “Scab Interference Test”. The results of a comparative analysis of socio-demographic, individual psychological characteristics, as well as the main indicators of the cognitive sphere of patients with CHF and CHD, preparing for heart transplantation (HT) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), are presented respectively. It was shown that patients with CHF demonstrate lower results in the main parameters of cognitive functioning (memory, attention, thinking) (p≤0.05), more often complain of subjective deterioration in memory and attention, have more optimistic ideas about future treatment prospects, and the outcome of the upcoming heart surgery. The results obtained contribute to a deeper understanding of the specifics of neurocognitive deficiency and its causes, and also allow for the optimization of rehabilitation measures taking into account the data obtained.