Survival, clinical status and quality of life one year after cardiovascular surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Hospital outcomes of cardiac surgery have been well studied and reported at national and international levels, but survival data is not abundant in our country.

Objective: To establish survival and determine social functioning of patients one year after cardiovascular surgery.

Method: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with patients who underwent surgery over the last three years at the Cardiovascular Surgery Department of the CIMEQ Hospital. Patients were interviewed at the cardiovascular surgery consultation and their medical records were analyzed in order to incorporate the study variables (demographics, survival, functional classification, social functioning, reoperations, complications, and other non-cardiac surgeries).

Results: 186 patients were included, who had a survival of 95.17 % at one year, with a clinical improvement over 96 %, in additional testing and functional class. The level of overall social functioning of these patients increased from “neutral or indifferent” to “very satisfied or satisfied” in 85.9 % of cases.

Conclusions: Survival figures at one year, patients’ return to working life, the level of social functioning, and the clinical improvement in additional testing after cardiovascular surgery that have been reached by the CIMEQ Hospital are at the level of those shown by hospital which are leaders in developed countries of Europe and America.