After coronary artery bypass surgery, there is a gradual recovery process for both the heart function and the whole body, depending on the patient’s preoperative coronary artery disease degree, heart function status, physical condition and other aspects, the postoperative recovery time will be different, usually takes about 6 weeks. During this period, there are some precautions to be observed, which will help you recover as soon as possible, so that the surgery can obtain satisfactory results.
1. Diet: During the recovery period after coronary artery bypass surgery, it is usually necessary to increase the intake of calories, proteins and vitamins to promote the recovery as soon as possible after the surgery. However, after this period, dietary treatment, i.e. control of hyperlipidemia, is a long-term task for patients with coronary artery disease. This is because coronary artery bypass surgery only treats the myocardial ischemia caused by the blockage of coronary arteries, but not the cause of coronary heart disease. Therefore, in terms of diet, paying attention to controlling hyperlipidemia is one of the important measures to prevent and slow down coronary artery or post-operative re-clogging.
2. Exercise: Initially, you can walk around the room and the house, holding on to something while walking. Then, when you feel no difficulty, you can start walking, which is a good and effective exercise method. This method can improve blood circulation and increase the strength of muscles and bones, and start walking at a speed and pace that feels comfortable. Later, gradually accelerate the pace. To increase the heart rate and respiratory rate, you can walk three times a day, five minutes each time, starting from a comfortable walk, and then gradually increase the time and distance of the walk, to be able to tolerate themselves, more walks a day, than a long walk is more beneficial, adhere to the daily walk, and the daily walk distance gradually increase, as long as it can be tolerated, you can slowly go up the stairs, up a small hill, in the movement and exercise In the process, if chest pain occurs, it should be stopped immediately, shortness of breath, asthma and fatigue should also be stopped immediately, if these symptoms disappear, you can continue the activity at a slower pace, and then increase day by day. Fatigue is inevitable until you fully regain your strength, and you may feel your heart beating very strongly when you are active, but as long as the heartbeat rules are not particularly fast, this is normal and should not be a concern. In a few cases, some people feel a sudden loss of control of their heart or a rapid heartbeat, and may feel mild dizziness, weakness, and irregular pulse. Here are the training recommendations.
First week (week 1): Two five-minute walks per day.
Second week (week 2): two ten-minute walks per day.
The third week (the third week): two times a day, each time twenty minutes of walking.
The fourth week (fourth week): should be increased to one kilometer walk per day.
In winter or hot summer, you may not be able to walk outdoors, if so, you can rent or buy an indoor bike or exercise machine, exercise twice a day, 30 minutes each time, you can replace your exercise outdoors, you can slow walk on your jogging machine (exercise machine).
3. Work: The recovery of work depends on your post-operative energy and physical recovery status. Avoid making major decisions, such as: investment, financial, work, family and other major decisions, as much as possible (at least within one month after surgery). It is normal to feel exhausted and have a feeling of crying out after the surgery, which has consumed a lot of energy during the surgical hospitalization. As each person’s situation is different, different physical ability, as well as the time and intensity of the work engaged in different, all these factors, must be taken into account.
4.Housework: Labor about two weeks after surgery, if you feel well recovered, you can start your housework. Initially, engage in some light housework, such as: removing dust, managing flowers, plants, helping to prepare meals, but those activities that require a lot of physical strength, such as: cleaning the floor with a vacuum cleaner, holding a child, moving furniture or participating in sports, should be postponed to a later time to start.
5. Post-operative review: When you leave the hospital, you should make an appointment with your doctor when to review. If you have any discomfort or problems during your rest at home, please do not hesitate to contact your local hospital or the hospital where you had your surgery as soon as possible. Usually, a full review should be done once in 3 – 6 months after surgery. If the local hospital is familiar with your situation it can also be done locally, or you can go to the hospital where the surgery was completed for a review.
6.Wound protection and treatment: Within a few weeks after the surgery, usually the wound will have different degrees of pain and sometimes local redness, usually after a period of time, the above performance will disappear, sometimes the above situation will be more than a few weeks. However, if there is more severe pain, redness and swelling, as well as discharge from the wound, it is important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. Patients with coronary artery bypass grafting usually have an incision in the leg. It is helpful to elevate your lower extremities when you are resting and when you are sitting to reduce discomfort or swelling in your legs. If you feel discomfort in the wound on your chest or leg (lower extremity), give a local heat pack for 15 to 20 minutes, and also take some oral pain medications if needed under the guidance of your doctor, they will gradually reduce your pain, but if the pain problem of the wound persists, it is better for you to go to the hospital at this time.
Some factors can cause general discomfort or pain, including changes in body temperature, infection, prolonged stay in one position, etc. If there is wound pain, you can try shrugging your shoulders forward to relieve the pain. The correct posture to maintain after surgery is to hold your chest up as high as possible when your body is in an upright or sitting position, with your shoulders slightly back. If you do not maintain the correct posture during this recovery phase, you will feel a tightening sensation on your chest when you stand up straight. The small gauze on the surface of the wound is temporary and should be removed three days after the stitches are removed. A week or so after the stitches are removed, you may wash the area of your wound with clean water and soap as long as the wound is healing well. Do not swim or do throwing sports until the wound has healed.
7, visits, hospitality: in your first few weeks back home, you should try to avoid noise, avoid contact with injuries, colds, sore throats and other signs of infection, if you are discharged from the hospital cold will aggravate your wound local pain, before your body fully recovered, unless your doctor allows, you should try to avoid people to come to your bedroom, visit or participate in various other types of parties.
8. Stockings: During the initial recovery period, white elastic stockings, which improve the blood supply to your lower extremities and reduce the collection of fluids and body fluids in your lower extremities, should be worn when you leave the bed for four to six weeks after surgery (stockings), and removed when you return to bed.
For the first three months of sternal healing, do not lift more than 10 to 15 pounds. It takes about six weeks for the sternum to heal, (each individual varies slightly) and about three months for the sternum to heal. These actions create a tension on your healing sternum. According to your previous concept and feeling, you can lift heavier objects, but your wound may not be able to tolerate it. A reasonable exercise should not only not hurt your sternum, but also keep your upper limb muscles under certain tension, and at the same time avoid stiffness of the shoulder, which will help you recover as soon as possible, you can repeat the posture shown in the figure twice a day for one month after discharge. If you feel localized pain, increased movement of the sternum. Or there is a discharge from the wound local outflow, or the wound local redness and swelling increase, should be as soon as possible to find the relevant doctor to see.
9, drinking alcohol: drinking alcohol for a heart patient, whether it has a good effect or a bad effect, can not be said absolutely, moderate drinking is feasible, but for patients with diabetes, high triglycerides or poor heart function to completely avoid drinking alcohol, because drinking alcohol will aggravate the existing disease, if there is no such problem, you can still enjoy a small glass of wine before meals or bed, but you better limit your drinking to two times a day Two times a day, a glass of wine or a glass of beer (containing about 120 calories), from this aspect, alcohol is a good source of energy, drinkers still have the possibility of weight gain, in addition, alcohol is still harmful to the main organs of the body, as alcohol will increase the side effects of sleeping pills, if you are on medication, do not mix sleeping pills, sedatives and alcohol.
10, sex: knowledge about sex has changed in recent years, it is now believed that the energy required for sex is no more than the usual load of other physical activities for heart disease, if you can walk at medium speed and climb the stairs easily; you can resume sex, but you must remember that it takes about three months for the sternum to heal, so you should pay attention to protect them in the process, to avoid compression of the sternum. You should pay attention to whether you experience pain and extreme shortness of breath, extreme fatigue or feel abnormal heartbeats, rhythms and sudden cardiac arrests, and if these symptoms occur, stop the activity immediately and go to the hospital. You should know clearly that coronary arteriosclerotic heart disease does not have any effect on your sex organs and sexual function, therefore, heart disease does not cause reduced sexual function in men or women, however, patients with this heart disease, accompanied by other types of vascular disease or taking certain drugs, and these drugs can interfere with normal erection or cause impotence, you suffer from heart disease and cause psychological stress, which can also cause you in sexual function. You have a heart condition that causes psychological stress, which can also cause you to lose your sexual function. You and your sexual partner should not feel any pressure in the process, should allow yourself a sufficient time, step by step adjustment, in general, to return to normal life, need a good mental state and a good physical state.
11.Medication: The doctor will bring you some post-operative medication when you are discharged from the hospital, these medications have a therapeutic effect on you.
①You should know the name and appearance of each drug you take.
②Take your medication on time as instructed by your doctor.
Do not stop taking your medication without your doctor’s permission.
④Do not give your medicine to your family or friends, as it is good for you and may be harmful to others.
Some drugs have mild side effects that will go away over time, but some may persist and should not be ignored. We think it is very important to know exactly what each medication does for you.