Although not yet examined, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) also likely contributes to cognitive impairment in
HF. COPD is common in persons with HF, with a recent review
showing prevalence rates in the literature range between 8 and 52%
and likely hover around 20%.9 COPD is an independent predictor of
death and hospitalizations in persons with HF and has been suggested
to confer greater risk for poor outcomes relative to other
medical conditions in HF (e.g., hypertension, diabetes).9 Past
research also documents the negative impact of COPD on cognition
independent of HF. For example, mid-life COPD is associated with a
two-fold risk for mild cognitive impairment10 and patients with
COPD also exhibit greater impairments on neuropsychological
testing relative to their healthy and demographically similar
counterparts.