Older people who undergo general anaesthesia during surgery have an increased risk of developing dementia, according to new research. People over the age of 50 who underwent general anaesthetic had a doubled risk of developing dementia after surgery.
Researchers have put forward a number of theories to explain the association between general anaesthetic and dementia, including the possibility of the body being deprived of oxygen or having hypothermia during the anaesthesia period.
They also said it is possible that patients in the early stages of dementia may be more susceptible to illness that requires surgery.
The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, examined the records of 25,000 patients, aged 50 or over, who had undergone anaesthesia for the first time between 2004 and 2008 and compared them to 111,000 patients who had not been administered such medication.
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