title: Sleep apnea and cognitive function in heart failure.
abstract: Background. Prior research indicates that heart failure (HF) patients exhibit significant cognitive deficits on neuropsychological testing. Sleep apnea is associated with both HF and reduced cognitive function, but the combined impact of these conditions on cognitive function is unknown. Methods. In the current study, 172 older adults with a dual diagnosis of HF and sleep apnea or HF alone completed a battery of cognitive tests measuring attention, executive functioning, and memory. Results. Relative to patients with HF alone, persons with both HF and sleep apnea performed worse on measures of attention after adjusting for demographic and medical variables. Conclusions. The current findings suggest that HF patients with comorbid sleep apnea may be at greater risk for cognitive impairment relative to HF patient without such history. Further work is needed to clarify mechanisms for these findings and to determine whether the interactive effects on cognitive function lead to poorer patient outcomes.
authors: Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.
authors: Krysten M
authors: KM
authors: Knecht
authors: Michael L
authors: ML
authors: Alosco
authors: Mary Beth
authors: MB
authors: Spitznagel
authors: Ronald
authors: R
authors: Cohen
authors: Naftali
authors: N
authors: Raz
authors: Lawrence
authors: L
authors: Sweet
authors: Lisa H
authors: LH
authors: Colbert
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Josephson
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Hughes
authors: Jim
authors: J
authors: Rosneck
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Gunstad