HEART

Once a scary undertaking, open heart surgery is now one of the most common operations in the United States, and survival rates are quite high. Open heart surgery involves placing a patient on a machine that support circulation while the surgeon opens the patient's chest and alters the heart or the arteries. Open heart surgery has saved many lives and has reversed many conditions which were once thought to be hopeless. However, open heart surgery is a trauma to the body, and requires preparation and an extensive recovery time. Those undergoing this kind of surgery should carefully follow the instructions of the doctor or surgeon in order to facilitate recovery.

After open heart surgery has been performed, the patient usually stays in the hospital for 3 to 4 days. While smoking is strongly discouraged for heart patients in general, one should avoid smoking for 2 weeks before open heart surgery (a good opportunity to quit) and should refrain from eating or drinking for 8 hours prior to the surgery. Open heart surgery itself takes 5 hours. Recovery should be thought of as a long-term process rather than something requiring just 3 or 4 days of rest. One who has undergone this kind of surgery should also consider making permanent lifestyle changes to help facilitate recovery.

For a month to six weeks after open heart surgery, one should avoid driving and should take showers rather than bath. Soaking in hot water is discouraged because hot water tends to loosen stitches. Avoid applying lotion to the area where there are stitches and make sure that there is no fluid oozing from the sutures. One should relax as much as possible after open heart surgery and avoid lifting heavy objects. Isometric and pushing hard when going to the bathroom should also be avoided. If you must climb stairs during this recovery period, take frequent breaks, but it is a better idea to take the elevator or escalator when possible. You will want to consult your doctor about when to resume an exercise regimen, and it is a good idea to begin working out later rather than sooner. When you resume your exercise routine, you will want to use a heart monitor to assure that you are not overstraining your heart.

It is understandable that there might be some trepidation before undergoing such an invasive procedure, and it is important to lay these fears to rest before approaching the operating table. It is useful to talk with those who have been through open heart surgery before. This will make you feel more confident going into the surgery. Anxiety is, of course, not good for the heart, so it is essential to find ways to calm your fears before approaching surgery. Try using positive visualization or imagining everything going as planned, to help allay your fears. You may want to see a video of the procedure, and there are many open heart surgery films available on the internet. However, if you are at all squeamish, it might be better to avoid such films and to focus instead on adopting a positive attitude about open heart surgery.