High readmission rate after heart valve surgery: A nationwide cohort study

Physical activity increases survival after heart valve surgery

“…We excluded patients with research-protected addresses (n=56) or mortality after surgery before the survey (n=69). A total of 742 eligible patients received The CopenHeart survey and 557 (75%) responded (figure 2), as reported by others 12 20…”

“…Hospital readmission in this study could result from single cardiac events or symptoms, which may not be directly linked to physical activity level. Heart failure explains many readmissions among patients with mitral valve surgery as well as older people in general 12 13. This could also be the case in this study because many older people were included.…”

“…Patients who died between surgery and survey were excluded, because they could not answer the survey. The survey was sent out by mail in December 2011 and was followed by a two-postal-week reminder 12 20…”

“…A small number of previous studies have shown improved survival after exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation and suggest a positive association of physical activity, but the impact of physical activity remains unclear 9–11. High rates of all-cause and cardiac hospital readmissions have been reported among patients with valve surgery, with readmission rates up to 56–78% with a follow-up time of 1–5-years 12 13. Physical activity could possibly be associated with lower hospital readmission rates among patients with heart valve surgery, similar to patients with coronary heart disease 3.…”

Anxiety and Depression in Cardiovascular Surgery

“…Fredericks et al reviewed systematically about psychological condition of patients with CABG and/or VS and revealed that moderate to severe levels of anxiety and depression existed during the first month of home recovery and appeared to have an effect on their performance of selfmanagement behaviors [15]. Sibilitz et al conveyed a nationwide cohort study on patients 1 year after valve surgery in Denmark and found that anxiety and depression were present in 13.6 and 13.8%, respectively (hospital anxiety and depression scale score ≥8) and that higher HADS-D scores was one of Results the associated factors to readmission [16]. Oterhals et al examined mid-term/long-term selfreported health status of patients 1 year or more after aortic valve replacement and/or CABG.…”