Preoperative education may attenuate anger scores of patients after cardiac surgery

Background: This study aims to evaluate the anger status of patients undergoing open heart surgery and to examine possible effects of psychological support on anger control. Methods: Anger status and type A personality were evaluated in 68 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) between September 2012 and January 2013. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (18 males and 16 females; mean age 55.0 +/- 8.7 year; range 43 to 78 years) received routine preoperative preparations, whereas group 2 (17 males and 17 females; mean age 54.9 +/- 9.1 years; range 41 to 81 years) received patient education for 30 minutes one day before surgery during preoperative period on anger management after heart surgery. To obtain anger scores of the patients, The State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 and Scale of Type A Behavior were used to achieve anger scores of the patient groups before surgery and four days after surgery. Results: Baseline preoperative characteristics and operative variables were similar between the groups. Based on the preoperative test results, total anger scores were similar in both groups, however, it was significantly lower in group 2 in the postoperative period (p<0.001). The total anger scores significantly increased in group 1 after surgery. Pre- and postoperative state anger scores were significantly different between the patient groups. In group 2, the state anger score was not increased after operation, while the repressed anger (Ax-In) was significantly lower postoperatively (p<0.001). Postoperative trait anger was similar between the groups. Conclusion: We suggest that education of patients on anger management before CABG is critical which may affect surgical prognosis positively and shorten the duration of hospital stay.