Physical activity, symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea in patients with ischemic heart disease in relation to age before and two years after coronary artery bypass grafting

Background. To describe limitation of physical activity, cause of limitatio n of physical activity and symptoms of dyspnea and chest pain in relation t o age before and 2 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods. All patients from Western Sweden who underwent CABG without concom itant procedures during 3 years in 1989-1991 answered questionnaires before , and 2 years after the operation. Patients were divided into 3 age groups of equal size i.e. 32-59 years, 60-67 years and greater than or equal to 68 years. Results. In total, 2121 patients participated in the evaluation. The overal l 2 year mortality in the 3 age groups was 3.8%, 6.8% and 12.2% (p < 0.001) , Limitation of physical activity was significantly associated with age pri or to surgery but not thereafter. Improvement in physical activity, followi ng CABG, was significant in all age groups, The proportion of patients bein g free of dyspnea increased markedly regardless of age. The number of chest pain attacks was associated with age after CABG, he. fewer attacks in the elderly, but such an association was not found prior to surgery. Improvemen t in num-ber of chest pain attacks was more marked in the elderly. Conclusions. Physical activity improved similarly in all age groups after C ABG, Attacks of chest pain, although significantly reduced in all age group s, seemed more effectively reduced in the elderly.