The Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Postoperative Cognitive Function in Open Heart Surgery

This randomized controlled study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine on postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing elective open-heart surgery. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups: a dexmedetomidine group receiving intravenous dexmedetomidine infusion during surgery and a control group receiving normal saline infusion as placebo in addition to standard anesthesia.

Postoperative cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels were measured as a biomarker of neuronal injury. Intraoperative depth of anesthesia was monitored using the bispectral index (BIS). The aim of the study was to investigate whether dexmedetomidine administration could reduce postoperative cognitive dysfunction and neuronal injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients of both sexes undergoing elective open-heart surgery

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with a history of neurological disorders, severe renal or liver dysfunction, or contraindications to Dexmedetomidine as in patients with known QT prolongation, a history of other arrhythmias, symptomatic bradycardia, hypokalemia, or hypomagnesemia, and in patients receiving other drugs known to prolong the QT interval.

Patients with cognitive impairment, mental and psychological illness and chronic alcoholics, drug addicts, abuse of psychotropic substances, illiterate education