[Cognitive functions in patients with chronic heart failure].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate cognitive functions in patients with different stages of chronic heart failure (CHF) and different degrees of stenosis of precerebral arteries. MATERIAL AND METHODS Authors examined 148 patients with CHF and 21 patients without CHF (controls). Neuropsychological assessment (NINDS-Canadian Stroke Standards - 30 minutes protocol), ultrasound scanning of the main cranial arteries and transcranial dopplerography and echocardiogram were made. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Patients with CHF more frequently had combined (multifocal) cognitive impairment. Patients with systolic heart failure performed significantly worse on neuropsychological tests, in particular, functional domains within the frontal lobes and "executive" dysfunction, than those with diastolic heart failure. Cognitive impairment in patients with CHF was associated with the lower left ventricular ejection fraction and deterioration in indices of diastolic function but not with carotid artery stenosis.