title: The effects of hypocapnic ventilation on mental function in elderly patients undergoing cataract surgery.
abstract: Mental function was studied using the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test and the Unprepared Simple Reaction Time test in 83 elderly patients for cataract surgery. Three groups of patients were studied: Group N (n = 40) whose lungs were ventilated to a mean PaCO2 of 4.9 kPa, Group H (n = 30) who were hyperventilated to a mean PaCO2 of 2.9 kPa, and Group L (n = 13) who received local anaesthesia for surgery. The psychometric tests were administered on the day before the operation, and 4 days and 4 weeks after the operation. Statistically significant changes in the performance of hyperventilated patients could not be demonstrated using these tests.
authors.affiliation: East Anglian Regional Health Authority, Cambridge.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jhaveri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide