Post-Discharge Problems in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Background: Cardiac surgeries have contributed greatly to resolve the problems relating to Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD) and valvular heart diseases. There are numerous physical and psychosocial problems that cardiac surgery patients experience once they were discharged from the hospital. Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine post-discharge problems and their frequencies in cardiac surgery patients at tertiary care hospital. Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study design was used to determine problems and their frequencies in CABG and valvular surgery in post discharge period. Data was collected from 96 patients through consecutive sampling technique at Cardiac Center of public tertiary care hospital during July to September 2018 on patient’s first follow-up after discharge. The questionnaire content validity index was checked by cardiac surgery experts and calculated 0.88. The data was analyzed on SPSS (23 version).descriptive statistical tests frequency, percentage used for categorical variables, and mean and standard deviation for continuous variables and Likert scale for post-discharge problems in cardiac surgery patients. Results: Male patients were high in percentage (71.9%) with mean age of 52 year had CAD due to stress and sedentary life. CABG was done for (80.3) and valvular surgeries done for (19.8%). Pain in the surgical wound site and different body parts, chest wound problems like discharge and swelling. Other problems were difficulty in breathing and pain with cough. Psychosocial problems were found in more than half of the patients like difficulty in sleeping, phobia of body movement and losing job, palpitation and apprehension, sadness and avoided social interaction with others. Conclusion: The study found different problems such as pain, difficulty in breathing, sleepiness, tiredness, difficulty in preforming Activities of daily livings and wound related issues. Significant number of participants reported about social isolation, anxiety, restlessness and fear. The findings of current study can be utilized to develop a discharge package for patients.