Symptoms reported by older and middle-aged adults after coronary bypass surgery.

Knowledge of the most prevalent symptoms after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) can be used to assist patients to anticipate recovery. The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of symptoms during the first 6 weeks after CABS, to assess changes in the number and types of symptoms, and to compare symptoms in older and middle-aged adults. The most prevalent symptoms during hospitalization (Time 1) were pain, edema, wound drainage, fever, and fatigue. In the third through fifth postoperative weeks (Time 2), the most prevalent symptoms were pain, edema, sleep problems, fatigue, and wound drainage. At 6 weeks (Time 3), sleep problems, edema, pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath were the most common. Number of symptoms decreased significantly between Times 1 and 3. All symptoms were more prevalent at Time 2 than at Time 1 and less prevalent at Time 3, with the exception of sleep problems, which were reported more frequently at Time 3 than at Time 1. The most persistent symptoms were edema, fatigue, sleep problems, pain, and shortness of breath. Significantly more middle-aged adults than older adults reported anxiety at Time 2. No other age-related differences were found. Implications for nursing practice and research are discussed.