New York, NY, January 12, 2011 — Coronary syndromes vary in severity, ranging from unstable angina, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe diagnosis. Little d…
CHICAGO (December 15, 2010) — Delaying elective surgical procedures after a patient has been admitted to the hospital significantly increases the risk of infectious complications and raises hospital costs, according to the results of a new study i…
Men who are depressed before their coronary artery bypass graft surgery are more likely to be re-hospitalized or suffer pain and reduced quality of life six months after their bypass operation, compared with men who are not depressed before the surgery, according to new research. Rates of hospitalization for heart attack or artery disease rose among bypass patients with pre-operative depression, say Matthew M. Burg, Ph.D., of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and colleagues.
Female coronary bypass surgery patients whose husbands viewed an optimistic informational videotape prior to their surgery experienced fewer complications than did women whose husbands received only the standard hospital preparation. The study evaluated the progress of 226 male and 70 female patients for six months after their first coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Prior to the patients’ discharge from the hospital, the spouses of the patients viewed one of two videotapes — one more optimistic, than the other– informing them of what to expect during the recovery period.