This was a prospective observational study involving patients over 65 years recruited from the Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology. The patients had an established diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction or valve regurgitation) by previous electrocardiogram and/or Doppler echocardiography and all had surgical indication (coronary artery bypass, valve replacement or combined surgery). Patients with prior neurological disease (previous stroke or muscular dystrophies) or cognitive impairment resulting from previous injury or who refused to participate in the study were excluded.