The emotional state of patients after coronary bypass surgery. In: Walter PJ, editor. Quality of Life after Open Heart Surgery. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands; 1992. pp. 177-83. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-011-2640-3_17]

Functional Recovery and Exercise Behavior in Men and Women 5 to 6 Years Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery

Improvement following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been reported to be less in women than men. Relationships between exercise behavior and functional status of men and women 5 to 6 years after CABG have not been examined in a representative patient sample. This study compared the 5- to 6-year recovery in a cohort of 184 patients at the Minnesota site of the Post CABG Biobehavioral Study. Data were collected by telephone interviewand self-administered questionnaires. Results showed that women had lower physical ( p ≤ .004) and social ( p = .001) functioning scores; men were more likely to participate in regular exercise ( p = .01). Exercisers had higher functional status scores. ANCOVA demonstrated that differences in measures of functional status by exercise category were maintained even after controlling for age, sex, and symptom severity ( p ≤ .01). In conclusion, individuals who exercised had more positive functional outcomes 5 to 6 years post-CABG.

Recovery Symptoms and Mood States in Thai CABG patients

Recovery symptoms and related mood states during early recovery after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) have never been assessed in Thailand. This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was to identify the relationships between frequency of recovery symptoms and mood states of a convenience sample of 91 Thai CABG patients during 2 weeks after discharge. Standardized tools/procedures were used to measure the variables of interest. The most common recovery symptoms were chest and leg incision pain, having trouble sleeping, and neck and shoulder or back discomfort. The most common mood states were confusion, anxiety, and anger, respectively. In addition, Thai CABG patients who had more frequent recovery symptoms also had greater negative mood disturbance. These findings provide a beginning explanation about the phenomena of recovery symptoms and mood states in a specific culture, Thai CABG patients.

Depression and anxiety in coronary artery bypass grafting patients

PURPOSE

Heart surgery is a factor triggering off specific emotional and physiological responses of a patient. In spite of positive somatic effects of surgery, depression and anxiety can persist or appear for the first time after the operation worsening the patient's psychosocial functioning and quality of life. The aim of this study is to offer a prospective view on the incidence and course of self-reported depression and anxiety in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients.

SUBJECT AND METHODS

After informed consent, 53 patients who submitted to CABG were examined a few days before and after the operation and 3 months after CABG. They completed the Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory.

RESULTS

Approximately 55% of the patients had high a level of anxiety preoperatively. Shortly after the surgery, 34% of patients and after 3 months 32% of them had clinically relevant level of anxiety. Thirty-two percent of patients before the surgery, 28% immediately after CABG and 26% at follow-up were depressed.

CONCLUSIONS

High preoperative depression, state and trait anxiety scores appear to be predictors of postoperative psychological outcome. Preoperative assessment can identify patients at risk for clinical levels of postoperative anxiety and depression. Psychological preventive counseling and psychiatric intervention can reduce patients' emotional distress, medical and economic costs.

Improvement in quality of life differs between women and men after coronary artery bypass surgery

OBJECTIVE

To study improvement in quality of life (QoL) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in relation to gender.

BACKGROUND

Women generally report worse QoL after CABG than men. However, women are older and more symptomatic prior to surgery, which should be considered in comparative analyses.

METHODS

We studied consecutive patients who underwent CABG between 1988 and 1991 [n = 2121] with a QoL questionnaire containing the Physical Activity Score, the Nottingham Health Profile and the Psychological General Well-being Index prior to, 3 months, 1 year and 2 years after surgery.

RESULTS

Females were older than men with more concomitant diseases preoperatively. QoL was improved on all postoperative occasions for both sexes. Improvement in the Physical Activity Score was somewhat, although not significantly, greater in males. Improvement in the Nottingham Health Profile was greater in females. General well-being showed no consistent pattern for improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

QoL is significantly improved after CABG in both sexes throughout follow-up. There is a complex association between improvement in various aspects of QoL and gender.

Clinical outcome and emotional-behavioural status after isolated coronary surgery

In order to evaluate clinical and psychosocial results of isolated coronary artery by-pass graft (CABG) we studied 626 consecutive patients, mean age 61 +/- 8 years (86% men), in a follow-up (median: 58 months) with a complete questionnaire about cardiosurgical problems (post-operative vital status, angina relapse, infarction, heart failure, PTCA, redo, PM) and psychosocial variables (mood, irritableness, job satisfaction, hobby satisfaction, family relations, sexual activity, general well-being and work status). Global evaluation improvement of psychosocial variables was found in 71% of patients without cardiac events (group A) and 11% of patients with cardiac events (group B); worsening was found in 2% of group A and 1% of group B; no referred variations in 13% and 2% respectively (p < or = 0.05. Interests (in work, hobbies and sexual activities) demonstrate an improvement in 20% (group A) and 2% (group B); worsening in 12% (group A) and 4% (group B); no variations in 51% (group A) and 11% (group B) (p < or = 0.005). Patients reported a well-being evaluation improvement about 66% in the group returning to work without restriction, 13% in those with limitation, 6% no further working; worse or unchanged well-being evaluation was found in 9% of patients returning to work without restriction, 3% with limitation, 3% no further working (p < or = 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)