Cardiac surgery is surgery on the heart performed by cardiac surgeons. It is performed to treat heart disease of various kinds.
Every heart surgery presents the risk of complications. The Risk varies from one type of heart surgery to another.
Potential complications include bleeding, abnormal heart rhythm, ischemic heart damage, blood clots, cardiac tamponade, and separation of breastbone during healing.
Measures to be taken after cardiac surgery:
If you have had open-heart surgery, then you may
1) Require the skilled services of physical therapy in a cardiac rehabilitation center, where you can work on improving your strength, endurance, and functional mobility.
2) Sternal precautions are also likely to be used during therapy
Physical Therapy In Cardiac Rehabilitation includes
5 minutes of Warm Up exercise
20 to 45 minutes of Aerobic Endurance Exercises and Resistance exercises
5 to 15 minutes of Cool down exercises
Sternal Precaution
These are used after open-heart surgery to prevent the breastbone from pulling apart as it is healing.
Excessive pulling on your breastbone while it is healing after open-heart surgery can cause separation of bone also called dehiscence. This separation can cause infection to enter your body.
These precautions are meant to protect you and reduce the risk of infection in your healing sternal incision.
Sternal precautions include:
Not lifting weight more than 2 to 3 kgs.
Not doing a push or pull with your arms.
Do not reach behind your back or reach both arms out to the side.
Do not reach both arms overhead.
Not to bend at the waist.
Not to drive a vehicle.
Other precautions to be taken after heart surgery
Keeping the surgical wound from infections: The wound from the open-heart surgery can cause germ infection. Thus, patients need to clean the wound with antiseptic and keep it dry.
Limited Physical Activities: Physical activities increase the heart rate which can be difficult to manage for the heart of a person who underwent bypass surgery. Thus, the patient and his/her family members need to keenly monitor the physical activities done by the patient. They should not stand for more than 15 minutes or lift a thing weighing more than 2 to 3 kgs.
The Diet: The diet of a patient undergone bypass surgery plays a key role in improving their health. Because of the effect of various medicines and antibiotics, the patient loses appetite for a brief time after surgery, however, they need to be fed to heal as soon as possible.
Heart Healthy Diet Plan includes:
• Starchy food as a base
• Eat plenty of Fruits and Vegetables
• Eat more fish
• Cut down on saturated fats & sugars
• Eat less salt
• Drink adequate water
• Don’t skip breakfast
Emotional well-being: Metal stress can worsen the situation for heart patients, especially after bypass surgery. The stress may end up in increased blood pressure, which can be very dangerous for their lives.
Stress-relieving techniques to try for include:
• Friendly social network
• Meditation
• Take a nap
• Play with a pet
• Listening to songs
• Social media detox
Sleep and rest: Sleeping or resting plays an active role in healing the body. But after bypass surgery, the medication disturbs the sleep pattern of the patient. The pain from the wound even makes it hard to sleep. It becomes very difficult for a patient to get sound sleep. To avoid this, the patient can take the help of soothing music or videos. Comfortable pillows, cushions, and dim light help a lot to fall asleep.
Also See:
0 Comments