Depression in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract

Surgical revascularization is a recognized method of treatment ofischaemic heart disease. The number of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is constantly increasing, both in a population of young patients with coronary heart disease and in elderly patients. It is estimated that even one out of three patients undergoing CABG in the perioperative period can develop symptoms of depression. Numerous individual factors as well as factors related to the surgery have an impact on the occurrence of depression. The most common factors are: age, sex, socio-economic status, co-existing diseases, and the occurrence ofpreoperative depression. Researchers are currently looking for biochemical markers concentration of which before surgery could serve as a predicator for the occurrence of post-CABG depression. It is suggested that inflammatory response, particularly intense in the perioperative period, is linked to the occurrence of depression after surgical revascularization. Recognizing these factors is of utmost importance since it will help develop a stratification aiming at the identification of patients who are particularly prone to the occurrence of postoperative depression. Due to the fact that depression not only lowers the quality of life but also affects the short-term and long-term prognosis, identifying patients at risk is significantly important.