Congestive heart failure: a longitudinal study of its impact on brain function and structure in later life.

该项目旨在阐明充血性心力衰竭（CHF）对大脑功能和结构的长期影响。CHF是大多数心脏疾病的常见并发症，在澳大利亚每年诊断出超过30，000例新病例。在所有CHF住院患者中，75%的患者年龄在70岁或以上。因此，随着澳大利亚人口的老龄化，CHF患者的数量预计将急剧上升。CHF与死亡率增加和显著发病率相关。它还以其他方式影响生活质量。患者的日常生活通常受到CHF的直接影响的限制，例如劳力性呼吸困难、疲劳和虚弱;相关的医学病症，例如缺血性心脏病、高血压和糖尿病，以及抑郁和记忆障碍。值得注意的是，在澳大利亚，认知障碍是残疾导致寿命损失的主要原因。该项目旨在阐明导致CHF患者认知缺陷发展的因素。其结果应作为制定有效预防战略的基础，以制止或减缓此类赤字的发展。此外，我们预计这项研究的结果将提高我们对其他与晚年认知能力下降相关的常见疾病的理解，如阿尔茨海默病。

This project aims to clarify the long-term impact of congestive heart failure (CHF) on brain function and structure. CHF is a common complication of most diseases of the heart, with over 30,000 new cases being diagnosed annually in Australia. Of all CHF hospitalisations, 75% are made up of people aged 70 years or over. Consequently, as the Australian population ages, the number of people with CHF is expected to rise sharply. CHF is associated with increased mortality and significant morbidity. It also impacts upon quality of life in other ways. The daily life of patients is often limited by the direct effects of CHF, such as exertional dyspnoea, fatigue and weakness; associated medical conditions, such as ischaemic heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, as well as depression and memory impairment. Of note, cognitive impairment is a leading cause of years of life lost due to disability in Australia. This project aims to clarify the factors that contribute to the development of cognitive deficits in people with CHF. Its results should serve as a basis for the development of effective preventative strategies to halt or slow down the development of such deficits. In addition, we expect that the findings of the study will improve our understanding of other common disorders associated with cognitive decline in later life, such as Alzheimer's disease.