Psychological and Physical Health Improvements After Coronary Bypass: A Longitudinal Study in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

TL;DR

This study shows that patients recovering from heart surgery experience significant improvements in both mental and physical health over time.

Contribution

The study provides longitudinal evidence of psychological and physical health changes in CABG patients during rehabilitation.

Findings

Depression and anxiety significantly decrease from admission to discharge.

Physical health improves significantly during the 6-month follow-up period.

Factors like age, sex, and ejection fraction influence health outcomes.

Abstract

Background: Patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery often experience both physical and psychological challenges in the post-acute phase and thus follow an integrated rehabilitation program. Objective: This study aimed to examine changes in anxiety, depression, physical health, and mental health from admission to discharge and during a follow-up period up to 6 months after discharge. Methods: This study investigated longitudinal trends in the psychological and physical health of 608 patients (aged 65.75 ± 9.03 years, 80% male) undergoing a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program following CABG surgery. Repeated measures linear mixed models were used. Results: Significant reductions in depression (b = −7.30, p < 0.001) and anxiety (b = −2.22, p < 0.001) from admission to discharge were predicted by factors such as age (dep: b = 0.08, p < 0.001), male sex (dep: b = −1.15, p < 0.001), psychological symptoms (depression predicted by anxiety: b = 0.24, p < 0.001; anxiety predicted by depression: b = 1.25, p < 0.001), and the absence of preexisting stress (dep: b = 0.68, p < 0.001; anx: b = 1.68, p < 0.018). During the follow-up period from 45 days to 6 months postdischarge, physical health significantly improved (b = 3.77, p < 0.001), as predicted by age (b = −0.14, p < 0.001), male sex (b = 3.22, p < 0.001), mental health (b = 0.14, p < 0.001), and ejection fraction >35% (b = 3.56, p < 0.05). Discussion: These findings highlight the importance of considering both physical and psychological factors when designing rehabilitation programs for postacute CABG patients.

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