Factors which may predict successful rehabilitation in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery: A pilot study

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the factors which may predict the successful outcome of rehabilitation in patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery.
Rehabilitation was considered successful if the patient experienced an improved quality of life and had accepted the responsibility for his/her own rehabilitation.
Ten patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery one year ago, were selected from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit of the Johannesburg Health and Housing Department.
The outcome of rehabilitation was determined in these ten patients by judging their improvement in quality of life and their acceptance of self-responsibility.
This was done by administering a questionnaire to the patients and their spouses which covered aspects of compliance to a programme to modify risk factors, the patients' ability to manage stress, their fitness and obesity profiles and their exercise habits.
From this study the authors concluded that the acceptance of self-responsibility for rehabilitation is an important factor in the outcome of successful rehabilitation.