Quality of Sleep at the Ward after Cardiothoracic Surgery

Abstract

Objective: Sleeping problems are among the issues most mentioned by patients after cardiothoracic surgery. These problems can have a negative effect on duration of the hospital stay and recovery. In the ward of our cardiothoracic surgery department, a study was initiated to assess the quality of sleep after cardiothoracic surgery. The primary objective was to investigate the effect of cardiothoracic surgery on the quality of sleep. The secondary objective was to investigate the quality of sleep. Correlations with perioperative factors and related issues such as the type of surgery and medication were sought. Methods: A consecutive prospective cohort study was initiated (N = 72). The study used validated questionnaires to assess sleep: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Verran Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale (VSH) and the Factors Influencing Sleep Quality (FISQ). Results: The PSQI showed that the quality of sleep one month after surgery was inferior to the quality of sleep before surgery (p-value: 0.03). The efficiency of sleep (time spent in bed) was higher after surgery then before surgery (p-value: 0.01). The VSH showed increased impaired sleep on the third night after surgery. The most disruptive factors were not being comfortable in a hospital bed, pain and the noise of medical devices. Conclusions: The quality of sleep after cardiothoracic surgery is worse when compared with the preoperative situation. The chief influencing factors are discomfort in bed, pain and disturbance from medical devices. The use of pain medication does not improve the quality of sleep.

Night‐time care routine interaction and sleep disruption in adult cardiac surgery

“…Studies show that over 80% of adults, 30 years and older, had sleep disruptions during the first week after cardiac surgery. In these studies, nearly 70% of adults who had coronary artery bypass and/or heart valve surgery continued to be sleep deprived up to 6 months after hospitalisation (Liao, Huang, Huang, & Hwang, ; Propper, van Domburg, Brunott, & Bogers, ; Yang, Huang, Tsai, & Lou, ).…”

“…In cardiac surgery, sleep disruption is characterised by the patient's inability to initiate and maintain sleep (Liao et al., ; Propper et al., ; Yang et al., ). Sleep disruption is a multidimensional phenomenon stimulated by a myriad of factors including, but not limited to, pain, anxiety, stress and inflammatory response postcardiopulmonary bypass (Casida, Davis, Shpakoff, & Yarandi, ; Casida & Nowak, ).…”

Assessment of Sleep Quality and Level of Fatigue in Surgically Treated Patients

“…However, based on the overall PSQI score, it was shown that 61.7% of patients in the preoperative period at home slept poorly. Propper et al [21] report that among patients after thoracic surgery, their sleep quality one month after surgery was lower than before the surgery. However, this work noted that the overall PSQI score may differ from the subjective assessment of sleep quality indicated by the patient.…”

Fatigue trajectory and its associated factors in patients after cardiac surgery: A longitudinal study

“…Previous studies also reported that poor sleep quality was associated with higher fatigue levels in patients with valvular heart disease and coronary angiography pre‐surgery (Lakshmanan et al, 2021; Onegi & Arslan, 2021). A cohort study found that patients reported poorer sleep quality after cardiothoracic surgery than before surgery due to pain or disturbance from medical devices, and the quality of sleep one month after surgery was also worse than before surgery (Pröpper et al, 2015). Therefore, nurses should also assess sleep quality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and provide appropriate interventions, such as education on sleep hygiene, to improve their sleep quality during different recovery periods.…”