Orthostatic blood pressure and heart rate responses after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract

A quasi-experimental study was conducted to compare preoperative and postoperative postural responses to position change. A convenience sample of 30 men and women admitted for elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery performed supine to sitting and supine to standing position changes prior to surgery and on postoperative day two or three. An ANOVA with repeated measures compared the responses of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. Systolic blood pressure exhibited a significant change from preoperative to postoperative measurements. Diastolic blood pressure remained the same; heart rate changed over time, but no significant preoperative to postoperative changes occurred. Comparison of normotensive and hypertensive subjects revealed reduced postoperative responsiveness in the hypertensive subjects for systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Nurses caring for postoperative CABG patients should anticipate a reduction in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate upon standing.