Neurological Consequences of Cardiac Arrhythmias: Relationship Between Stroke, Cognitive Decline, and Heart Rhythm Disorders

Abstract

Cardiac arrhythmias are one of the most common disorders with high morbidity and mortality. The effect of cardiac arrhythmias on the brain is very pronounced due to the high sensitivity of the brain to oxygen and blood supply. This mortality is preventable by early diagnosis and treatment which improves the patient’s quality of life. Intervening at the right time, post arrhythmia is significant in preventing deaths and improving patient outcomes. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms are studied for the brain-axis implications, that have the potential to be targeted by novel therapies. In this review, we describe the pathophysiological mechanisms and recent advances in detail to understand the functional aspects of the brain-heart axis and neurological implications post-stroke, caused by cardiac disorders. This paper aims to discuss the current literature on the neurological consequences of cardiac arrhythmias and delve into a deeper understanding of the brain-heart axis, imbalances, and decline, with the aim of summarizing everything and all about the neurological consequences of cardiac arrhythmias.