Symptoms and distress in patients awaiting coronary artery bypass surgery

In this examination of symptom distress in patients awaiting coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, a convenience sample of 42 patients on a waiting list for first-time CABG-only surgery were contacted via mail as part of a larger study into the experience of waiting for CABG surgery. They were asked to respond to questions about the frequency and distress of their coronary artery disease symptoms. A modified version of the Symptom Frequency and Symptom Distress Scale (SFSDS) was used. The mean symptom distress score was 77.7 out of a possible 386. Strong correlations were established between each individual item on the scale and the total score. The most frequent and distressing symptoms were fatigue, shortness of breath with activity, and chest pain. The most frequent' symptoms were also the most distressing. The findings underscore the significance of symptom experience in patients on a waiting list for CABG surgery and also point to the need for further testing of this version of the SFSDS.