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July 19, 2018 – 20:23
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 Mayo Clinic, Minnesota.
Although the loss of brain function is low, the study, published in the British Journal of Anesthesia, argues that it may be significant for these patients. they already suffer from mild cognitive impairment or their cognitive function is reduced.
In older adults whose cognitive impairment is on the verge of deterioration, but the symptoms are not clinically evident, exposure to anesthesia can unmask the underlying problems. memory and reasoning.
"We need to make sure that patients who are considering an operation, and their families, are Ebidamente informed that there is a risk of cognitive dysfunction," says the anesthetist and author of the program. study, Juraj Sprung.
According to the Mayo Clinic specialist, alternative strategies need to be discussed with patients before those considered high-risk for an intervention.
Researchers analyzed more than 1800 people between 70 and 89 years, who have done assessments every 15 months, taking into account anesthesia interventions in the 20 years preceding the study and those performed after
They also found that cognitive decline was 39; accelerated slightly after anesthesia, beyond the memory loss associated with natural aging.
However, the authors point out that it is not possible to determine whether the downside was anesthesia, surgery, or the underlying conditions that required surgery.
or, according to its authors, the study provides doctors "more reasons" to perform routine preoperative tests that include the cognitive assessment of the elderly, to clarify the individual risk in case of exposure to the operation
This suggestion was supported by the American Geriatric Society (AGS), a non-profit organization. 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 disease.
However, previous studies with humans have not been able to consistently demonstrate the association between these two factors.
EFE / Noticiero Venevisión
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