• Therapeutic Hypothermia Unlikely to Cause Cognitive Impairment for Heart Attack Victims

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the majority of heart attack victims who receive therapeutic hypothermia after entering a coma don’t suffer cognitive decline and are able to return to everyday tasks. Most studies of comatose survivors of cardiac arrest focus on mortality or functional outcome based on physical limitations. This study looked at the long-term cognitive abilities of patients surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Mayo Clinic neurology experts are presenting research findings on Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep disorders, concussions, multiple sclerosis and more at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in San Diego, March 16–23. They also are available to offer expert comment on other research findings. For more information on AAN and to arrange interviews contact: Nick Hanson at hanson.nicholas@mayo.edu