Level of Symptoms Experienced in the Postoperative Period of Patients Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery

Authors

  • Juan Gonzalo Arroyave Hospital General de Medellín, Colombia
  • Mauricio Arias-Rojas Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia
  • Stefany Ortega-Pérez Universidad del Norte, Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.42.02.036.986

Keywords:

Symptom Assessment, Postoperative Period, Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the symptoms present in patients and their respective severity during the
immediate and intermediate postoperative periods of cardiovascular surgery in intensive care units.
Materials and methods: A prospective, observational, and descriptive study was conducted. The
study population consisted of 53 patients in intensive care units during the immediate and intermediate
postoperative periods following myocardial revascularization and valve replacement surgery.
Two measurements were taken—one during the immediate and another during the intermediate
postoperative period—using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS). Furthermore, Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to detect differences in patient-reported
symptoms between the two assessment points and by type of surgery.
Results: During the immediate postoperative period, the symptoms with the highest intensity
levels were fatigue, drowsiness, pain, and difficulty sleeping. In the intermediate postoperative
period, the most prominent conditions were fatigue, drowsiness, pain, discouragement, difficulty
sleeping, and wellness. Notably, a significant decrease was observed in 9 out of the 10 symptoms
evaluated variables between the immediate and intermediate postoperative periods.
Conclusions: Overall, clinical manifestations in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery tend
to subside over time. In the immediate postoperative period, the most severe complaints were fatigue,
drowsiness, pain, and difficulty sleeping; however, these significantly decreased during the
intermediate postoperative phase.

Author Biographies

  • Juan Gonzalo Arroyave, Hospital General de Medellín, Colombia

    Magíster en Enfermería. Enfermero, Hospital General de Medellín (Colombia).
    juango54@yahoo.es.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7411-3150

  • Mauricio Arias-Rojas, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

    Doctor en Enfermería. Profesor asociado, Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad de
    Antioquia, Medellín (Colombia). emauricio.arias@udea.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2096-1792

  • Stefany Ortega-Pérez, Universidad del Norte, Colombia

    Doctora en Enfermería. Profesora asociada, División Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad
    del Norte, Barranquilla (Colombia). srortega@uninorte.edu.co.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3058-5161

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Published

2026-07-09

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

How to Cite

Level of Symptoms Experienced in the Postoperative Period of Patients Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery. (2026). SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL SALUD UNINORTE, 42(2), 368-383. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.42.02.036.986

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