Can heart bypass surgery affect the memory?
On One Hand: ‘Fuzzy Thinking’Coronary artery bypass surgery is conducted to restore and re-route healthy blood flow around blocked arteries leading to the heart. Patients occasionally experience an alteration in brain function following the procedure. “Some people report memory loss and loss of mental clarity, or “fuzzy thinking,” according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.On the Other: New ThoughtA 2009 study presented at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association disputed the assumption that memory loss occurred as a result of coronary artery bypass surgery. Physicians from Johns Hopkins University now suggest that underlying heart disease, not the surgery itself, is the culprit in brain dysfunction.Bottom LineNew data suggest memory loss could occur as a result of blockages of the arteries that supply oxygen and blood to the brain. Regardless of the cause, memory dysfunction normally disappears 6 to 12 months after bypass surgery. “Your risk of developing th
