Exercise, quality of life, and symptoms in men and women five to six years after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

BackgroundCoronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is commonly performed to treat symptoms of heart disease and improve function and quality of life (QL). Health-related behavior including exercise after surgery may promote optimal recovery; however, relationships among exercise behavior, functional status, symptoms, and QL 5 to 6 years after CABG have not been examined in a representative patient sample.MethodsTelephone interviews and postal surveys were used to examine long-term (5-6 year) recovery after CABG of 163 men and women of the Minnesota participants enrolled in the Post-CABG Biobehavioral Study.ResultsRegular exercise and better functional status were related to reports of less shortness of breath and fatigue and better subjective health perception, satisfaction, and QL.RecommendationsPositive relationships between regular exercise and more favorable QL and symptom relief 5 to 6 years after CABG in this observational cohort study warrant prospective study trials to determine the potential long-term benefits of regular exercise after CABG.