Comparison of pre- and post-surgery cardiac depression and perceived stress levels in heart patients undergoing different types of surgery

Abstract

It is an established fact that depression and stress are prevalent among patients who have undergone cardiac surgery. This cross-sectional study, conducted in 2019 over a period of two months, aimed to assess patients' perceptions of stress and depression before and after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery in Jordan. Data were collected at two time points: pre-operatively following hospital admission and at one-month post-operatively,using the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The paired t-test was used to analyse pre-post differences in depression and stress scales, and correlations were calculated through Spearman's and Pearson's correlation tests as appropriate.The mean PSS pre-test scores. A total of 60 patients participated in the study, with 36 (60%) undergoing scheduled surgery and 24 (40%) undergoing urgent surgery High levels of perceived depression were observed both pre- and post-surgery; however, no statistically significant differences were found between the two periods (t=1.63; p=0.108). However, there was a statistically significant decrease in perceived stress one month after surgery (t= -3.43; p=0.001). The mean PSS pre-test scores showed a statistically significant difference between patients in the scheduled surgery group (M = 21.19, SD = 4.76) and those in the urgent surgery group (M = 17.91, SD = 5.63); t [58] = -2.427, p = 0.018).To mitigate the prevalence and adverse effects of stress and depression among CABG patients, these conditions should be managed prior to surgery. Healthcare professionals are recommended to provide preoperative psychological and emotional support to reduce stress and depression levels. Furthermore, patients should be provided with resources and support services to help them cope with any postoperative issues. This study underscores the importance of preoperative and postoperative care in managing stress and depression among CABG patients.