Improvement in Quality of Life and Exercise Capacity After Coronary Bypass Surgery

Abstract

The greatest improvement in quality of life after coronary artery bypass grafting appeared in those patients with the most impaired exercise capacity, those with the most severe angina pectoris, and women. Improvement in exercise capacity was greatest in patients with the poorest preoperative exercise capacity and in men. These findings indicate that exercise testing is of limited value as a measure of quality of life and that assessment by a questionnaire has a complementary place.