• Joaquín Hernández-Palazón, Diego Fuentes-García, Luis Falcón-Araña, María José Roca-Calvo, Sebastián Burguillos-López, Paloma Doménech-Asensi, and Rubén Jara-Rubio.
• Department of Anesthesia, Hospital Clínico Universitario "Virgen de la Arrixaca," Murcia, Spain.
• J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. 2018 Feb 1; 32 (1): 236-244.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to measure the level of preoperative anxiety in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery, identify any influencing clinical factors, and assess the relationship between anxiety and postoperative morbidity.DesignA prospective and consecutive study.SettingA single university hospital.ParticipantsThe study comprised 200 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery.InterventionsEach patient was asked to grade his or her preoperative anxiety level using the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety, Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale, and set of specific anxiety-related questions. Demographic data (age, sex, body mass index) and anesthetic and surgical data (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, EuroSCORE surgical risk, preoperative length of stay, and previous anesthetic experience) were registered. Also, postoperative morbidity was assessed.Measurements And Main ResultsTwenty-eight percent of the patients developed high preoperative anxiety. The mean Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale score was 11.4 ± 4.3, and the mean Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety score was 48 ± 21. Patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery, who had no previous anesthetic experience, and who were hospitalized before surgery, had higher anxiety scores. Coronary bypass surgery (odds ratio 3.026; 1.509-6.067; p = 0.002) was associated independently with preoperative high-level anxiety. Anxiety most commonly was caused by waiting for surgery, not knowing what is happening, fearing not being able to awaken from anesthesia, and being at the mercy of staff. Anxiety did not modify the postoperative course.ConclusionsIn patients waiting to undergo cardiac surgery, both fear of the unknown and lack of information, especially related to the surgery, are crucial factors in high levels of preoperative anxiety in cardiac surgery. Coronary bypass surgery is a determining factor for preoperative anxiety. The anxiety level did not modify the postoperative course in these patients.Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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