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MIAMI (USA) .- General anesthesia in an operation is linked to a "subtle" decline in memory and mental abilities of people over 70, according to a study published today by the Medical Institution Mayo Clinic, Minnesota .
Although the loss of brain function observed is low, the study, published in the journal British Journal of Anesthesia, It argues that this may be important for patients who suffer from # 39, a mild cognitive impairment or whose cognitive functions are reduced.
In Elderly People With Cognitive Impairments That Are On The Edge Of Deterioration, But Of Which Symptoms Are Not Clinically Obvious The anesthesia can unmask the underlying problems with memory and reasoning.
"We must ensure that patients who are considering an opera and their families are duly informed that there is a risk of cognitive dysfunction," says anesthesiologist and study author, Juraj. Sprung.
According to the Mayo Clinic specialist, alternative strategies need to be discussed with patients before they are considered to be at high risk of undergoing surgery.
Researchers analyzed more than 1,800 people between the ages of 70 and 89, who underwent assessments every 15 months, taking into account anesthetic interventions in the 20 years preceding the diagnosis. ;study.
The researchers found that cognitive decline accelerated slightly after anesthesia, beyond the memory loss associated with natural aging
. it is possible to determine if the cause of the decline was anesthesia, surgery, or the underlying conditions that required surgery.
On the other hand, according to the authors, the study provides physicians with "more reasons" to perform preoperative routine tests that include the cognitive assessment of older people, to clarify the individual risk in the event of exposure to the operation.
This suggestion was supported by American Geriatric Society (AGS), a non-profit association. However, it has not been implemented clinically.
The link between anesthesia and cognitive decline in the elderly has been a subject widely debated in recent years, after studies with animals have suggested that exposure to inhaled anesthetics may be related to changes in the brain related to Alzheimer's .
However, previous studies with humans have not been able to consistently demonstrate the association between these two factors.
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