Heart–Brain Axis: Effects of Neurologic Injury on Cardiovascular Function

A review of particular interest for procurement (retrieval) of hearts after brain injury, especially subarachnoid bleeding, the commonest cause of death in DBD in our practice.  The authors discuss, amongst other things, the early stress micro-infarcts that may limit the performance of the donated heart, especally in female donors with sub arachnoid bleeding, and explain some common electrocardiographic changes ( especially the cerebral T ) that may puzzle the retrieval (procurement) team.  The essential catecholaminergic pathway for these changes is discussed in detail.