Heart-focused anxiety before and after cardiac surgery

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Noninvasive Determination of Vortex Formation Time Using Transesophageal Echocardiography During Cardiac Surgery
04:48

Noninvasive Determination of Vortex Formation Time Using Transesophageal Echocardiography During Cardiac Surgery

Published on: November 28, 2018

Jürgen Hoyer1, Georg H Eifert, Franziska Einsle

  • 1Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany. hoyer@psychologie.tu-dresden.de

Journal of Psychosomatic Research
|February 23, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Heart-focused anxiety (HFA) was high before cardiac surgery but decreased afterward. However, about 20% of patients still had elevated HFA six months post-surgery, indicating a need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychiatry
  • Health Psychology

Background:

  • Cardiac surgery patients often experience significant psychological distress.
  • Heart-focused anxiety (HFA) is a specific form of distress related to cardiac concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and trajectory of HFA in patients before and after cardiac surgery.
  • To compare HFA levels with general anxiety, depression, and quality of life.
  • To identify patients who may benefit from interventions for persistent HFA.

Main Methods:

  • Ninety patients undergoing coronary bypass, valve replacement, or combined surgery were assessed.
  • The Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ) and other psychometric tools were used pre-surgery, 6 weeks post-surgery, and 6 months post-surgery.
  • A control group of 72 orthopedic patients was included for comparison.

Main Results:

  • Heart-focused anxiety dimensions were elevated pre-surgery.
  • CAQ-Fear significantly decreased at 6 weeks and 6 months post-surgery.
  • CAQ-Avoidance and CAQ-Attention showed slower improvement, with approximately 20% of patients exhibiting clinically elevated HFA at 6 months.
  • Global anxiety and depression decreased, while quality of life improved post-surgery.

Conclusions:

  • While general psychosocial indicators improve post-surgery, specific HFA assessment is crucial.
  • Persistent HFA may require targeted interventions to aid patient adjustment to cardiac conditions and surgery effects.
Abstract

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