Return to work during the first year following stroke or myocardial infarction was achieved by more than half of working-age patients, though older age and physically demanding jobs reduced rates.
The assessment of the literature on sick-leave with cardiovascular diseases include only studies with sufficient scientific quality. These studies describe sick leave following stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We found limited scientific evidence for the following results: After stroke, more than half of the patients of working age returned to work (RTW) during the first year following onset (higher rate for the younger patients). The consequences of brain damage, e.g. impaired ADL ability or cognitive capacity, play an important role in this respect. Also after myocardial infarction most patients RTW. PCI is a milder coronary artery intervention than CABG and RTW is more rapid. However, in the long run there are no differences in sick leave. People at higher ages or with physically demanding jobs return to work to a lesser degree. An international comparison shows that the duration of sick leave due to these conditions in Sweden is longer than in other countries although there is no scientific evidence to support this practice. It appears that the interest in research on sick leave in patients with cardiovascular diseases has waned in recent years. Developments in acute cardiological care should inspire renewed scientific involvement in this area of research.
Perk et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Coronary artery disease or stroke. Cardiovascular diseases (stroke, myocardial infarction, CABG, PCI) was evaluated on Return to work (RTW). Return to work during the first year following stroke or myocardial infarction was achieved by more than half of working-age patients, though older age and physically demanding jobs reduced rates.