The association between cognitive function trajectories and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older Chinese adults with cardiovascular disease: A longitudinal study from CHARLS

Among middle-aged and older adults with CVD, trajectories characterized by rapid cognitive decline or persistently low function are powerful, independent predictors of all-cause mortality. In contrast, cognitive improvement is not associated with excess mortality risk. These findings underscore the prognostic importance of dynamic cognitive assessment and suggest that monitoring cognitive trajectories may aid in the risk stratification of CVD patients.