Cognitive Outcomes Three Years After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Comparison of On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery and Nonsurgical Controls

Prospective longitudinal neuropsychological performance of patients with coronary artery bypass grafting did not differ from that of a comparable nonsurgical control group of patients with coronary artery disease at 1 or 3 years after baseline examination. This finding suggests that previously reported late cognitive decline after coronary artery bypass grafting may not be specific to the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, but may also occur in patients with similar risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.