Differences in depression levels in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and stenting

Introduction . Cardiovascular diseases define the pathological landscape of the 21st century. Personal characteristics of patients with cardiovascular diseases who have undergone stenting and bypass surgery are among the main factors in the success of their rehabilitation or, on the contrary, in determining the deterioration of their health. Regarding prevention of postoperative complications, taking into account the personal characteristics of patients is of primary importance. The study compared groups of patients (based on the level of depression) with various forms of cardiovascular diseases: acute coronary syndrome and chronic ischemic heart disease; types of surgical intervention – stenting or bypass surgery. Aim . To describe and explain the differences in depression levels in patients with different forms of cardiovascular disease who have undergone stenting and bypass surgery. Materials and methods . The study included 123 patients of both sexes (34–85 years old). The patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1 – 26/123 (21.1%) patients with HIHD who underwent bypass grafting; group 2 – 45/123 (36.6%) patients with HIHD who underwent stenting; group 3 – 52/123 (42.3%) patients with ACS who underwent stenting. The average age of the patients was 61 years ± 6 years. The severity of depression in patients was assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. ANOVA analysis of variance (p < 0,05) was used to compare the mean values of quantitative data. Results. In Group 1, according to the Zung Depression Self-Rating Scale, the average depression score was 35.5 points; in Group 2, the average depression score was 39.3 points; in Group 3, the average depression score was 42.1 points. There was a statistically significant difference in the severity of the average depression scores between Groups 1 and 3 according to the Scheffe method (p < 0,05). Conclusion. Patients with ACS who underwent stenting are characterized by a greater tendency to develop depressive disorder than patients with HIHD who underwent bypass. The obtained result indicates greater anxiety in patients with ACS, most probably, due to the unexpected manifestation of symptoms of the disease and an emergency decision to perform surgery.