Assessment of Preoperative Anxiety Among Patients of Open-Heart Surgery

• SHAHZAD SHOUKAT

  Author

• BILAL RAFIQUE MALIK

  Author

• SHAHID IQBAL

  Author

Introduction: Preoperative anxiety is a common phenomenon experienced by patients undergoing surgical procedures, particularly those of significant complexity and risk, such as open-heart surgery.

Objectives: The main objective of the study is to find the preoperative anxiety among patients of open-heart surgery.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Punjab Institute of Cardiology lahore from 1st janurary 2023 to 30th June 2023.The study comprised 220 patients who undergo open-heart surgery. Participants were selected through convenient sampling based on their eligibility for open-heart surgery and willingness to participate in the study. Upon obtaining informed consent, participants completed baseline assessments of demographic characteristics, medical history, and baseline anxiety levels using standardized instruments such as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) or State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Preoperative anxiety levels were assessed both objectively through physiological measures, heart rate, blood pressure and subjectively through self-reported anxiety scales.

Results: Data were collected from 220 patients. Mean age of the patients was 59.2 ± 7.1years in intervention group and 58.8 ± 8.0 years in control group. Regarding diagnoses, 45.5% of the intervention group had coronary artery disease, 36.4% had valve disorders, and 18.2% underwent combined procedures, with similar distributions in the control group. Intraoperative complications occurred in 10.9% of the intervention group (n=110) compared to 18.2% in the control group (n=110), although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.183). However, postoperative pain levels were significantly lower in the intervention group 3.2 ± 1.5 compared to the control group 4.0 ± 1.8, with a p-value of 0.042. Additionally, patients in the intervention group had a shorter length of hospital stay (6.0 ± 1.8 days) compared to the control group (7.5 ± 2.3 days), with a p-value of 0.011.

Conclusion: It is concluded that preoperative anxiety is prevalent among patients undergoing open-heart surgery, potentially impacting surgical outcomes and patient well-being. However, the findings highlight the effectiveness of targeted anxiety reduction interventions in improving preoperative anxiety and improving postoperative recovery.

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