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Depression related to poor health after bypass surgery

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.

Peppy video shown to hubby helps female bypass patients

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.