Anxiety and its role for cognitive changes in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract

Aim of the studySeveral psychosocial characteristics are well known to be importantly related to coronary heart disease (CHD). However, psychological aspects of surgical treatment of CHD and its implications for rehabilitation perspectives and cognitive changes of cardiac patients remain poorly understood. The article presents the results of studying the dynamics of emotional state of patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), measured before the surgery and at different stages of the rehabilitation process, and on a comparative analysis of trait and state anxiety and alexithymia of patients with CHD with different cognitive dynamics.Subject or material and methods118 patients with CHD, undergoing CABG were examined (average age 59,86 ± 7,31 years). The study was conducted using the clinical and psychological method and a specially developed complex of pato- and neuropsychological methods for assessing various spheres of cognitive functioning and emotional state of the patients.ResultsIt was shown that patients with cognitive impairment are characterized by great anxiety in the field of social contacts and an understanding of the social sphere as the main source of anxiety stress and uncertainty in itself. Patients complaining about the state of the cognitive sphere generally have a greater degree of personal anxiety, a feeling of emotional discomfort, dissatisfaction with life situations, and increased anxiety in the field of social contacts.DiscussionMost differences in the emotional state of patients with different cognitive dynamics were found even before surgery.ConclusionsTherefore, it seems reasonable to introduce additional short-term psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at stabilizing the emotional state of patients preparing for CABG surgery.