Depression and anxiety in coronary artery bypass grafting patients.
OBJECTIVE
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.


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.
Rymaszewska
Joanna
J
Department of Psychiatry, Medical University, Pasteura 10, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland. ankarym@psych.am.wroc.pl
Kiejna
Andrzej
A
Hadryś
Tomasz
T
D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012803:Sick Role