Neurological complications in patients with heart disease

Introduction. The brain needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients from blood. This fact explains its fight dependence on the cardiovascular system as well as the after-effects of heart disease on the central nervous system. Objectives. This study intends to describe the main conditions in which a neurological disorder appears secondarily to -or coincidentally with- heart disease. Methods. A bibliographical review of publications of neurological disorders related to heart disease is carried out. Results. The main cardiac diseases that can induce neurological disorders include: disturbances of the cardiac rhythm, congenital heart diseases, and complications of cardiac catheterisation and reparative surgery. Likewise, other conditions -congenital or acquired- in which neurological and heart disorders coexist must be considered. Conclusions. Medical practice confirms that heart diseases account for different neurological conditions that can manifest by a very variable clinical expressivity.