Effect of Complementary Therapies in Patients Following Cardiac Surgery: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Evidence-Based Medicine
• Integrative Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a growing global health concern, particularly in developing nations.
• Cardiac surgery is often necessary for patients with CVDs unresponsive to conventional treatments.
• Postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgery patients require optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the existing evidence on the impact of complementary therapies on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
• To synthesize findings from studies investigating complementary therapies in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed-Medline, CINAHL, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) for studies published between 2000 and 2015.
• Original research articles focusing on complementary therapies and their effects on cardiac surgery patients were included.
• Twenty-eight studies were critically analyzed to assess the evidence.

Main Results:

• The analyzed studies yielded conflicting results regarding the efficacy of complementary therapies.
• A majority of studies (25 out of 28) reported positive effects of complementary therapies on improving postoperative outcomes.
• However, three studies found no significant evidence of improvement, highlighting variability in findings.

Conclusions:

• There is preliminary evidence suggesting that complementary therapies may contribute to positive postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgery patients.
• The overall evidence for the efficacy of complementary therapies in this context is currently inconclusive.
• Further rigorous research is essential to establish a robust evidence base for utilizing complementary therapies to enhance recovery after cardiac surgery.