Cardiac anxiety in the perioperative period of patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures: an observational study.
Bruna Sonego Kazitani, Letícia Mansano Martins, Vitor Melz da Silva and 3 others
PMID 36542055WHAT IT FOUND
Cardiac anxiety symptoms were higher on discharge day and at first follow-up than before surgery, mainly avoidance of activities.
This observational study did not test whether nurse or therapy care changed anxiety.
Key findings
01In 34 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, total cardiac anxiety scores were higher on the day of hospital discharge and at the first return visit than before surgery.
02In 58 patients undergoing valve repair surgery, total cardiac anxiety scores were higher at the first return visit than before surgery.
03Avoidance of activities that may trigger symptoms was higher after surgery than before surgery in both groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was non-probabilistic and from one hospital, so it may not apply to all cardiac surgery patients. Patients who refused, died, were lost to follow-up, were readmitted, or had a second surgical approach were not included in the final comparison, which may bias the remaining sample. The last assessment was only the first outpatient return, about 14 days after discharge, so long-term anxiety was not measured. The study measured reported anxiety; it did not test whether any nurse or other care action changed symptoms.
Declared interests
Funding was provided by CAPES. The supplied text gives no conflict-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that discharge education or postoperative care caused these anxiety changes. The study only measured patients' reported anxiety before surgery, at discharge and at first follow-up; it did not compare care approaches.