title: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery.
abstract: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is frequent in cardiac surgeries leading to major consequences. The physiopathological processes involved in this condition are still not completely elucidated, despite the multifactor character. Besides pre-operative factors such as age and education, some intra-operative factors are also of extreme importance. However, according to a vast literature on the subject, these factors are not capable to clarify the totality of the cases, taking us to a genetic base for this neurological sequel. In this revision, we briefly assess the factors involved in this cognitive dysfunction as well as discuss the pharmacotherapy in the prevention of this event.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, FAMERP. vilelamartin@uol.com.br
authors.forename: José Fernando Vilela
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Renan Oliveira Vaz de
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Letícia Pinheiro de
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period