Heart failure (HF) increases vulnerability to adverse neurological outcomes such as Alzheimer’s disease.1 Up to 80% of persons with HF also exhibit impairments on formal cognitive testing,2
including on tasks of attention/executive function and memory.3 Cognitive impairment in HF is concerning in light of its key role in poor outcomes such as premature death
Cognitive impairment in HF is most widely believed to stem
from brain insult subsequent to alterations in cerebral blood flow.5
However, the manifestation of cognitive impairment in this population
appears to be complex and involves multiple physiological
mechanisms. In particular, work from our group has previously
shown that medical comorbidities that accompany HF, such as
hypertension, diabetes, and sleep apnea, contribute to cognitive
dysfunction in this population (for a review, see Alosco et al, 2013).6