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Article: Psychological, social, and medical factors affecting rehabilitation following coronary bypass surgery.
- Article from:
- The Journal of Rehabilitation
- Article date:
- January 1, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 National Rehabilitation Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Coronary bypass surgery was developed in 1967 (Thurer, 1980) and is now performed on more than 350,000 individuals annually (Possanza, 1996). One of the many goals of coronary bypass surgery is the return of the patient to gainful employment (Allen, 1990). Though not a cure, the procedure is intended to alleviate symptoms of atherosclerotic heart disease and to improve quality of life.
Atherosclerotic heart disease is defined as an occlusion or blockage due to a buildup of plaque in the arteries which supply blood to the heart muscle. Symptoms of atherosclerotic heart disease include but are not limited to, angina pectoris (chest pain) or pain radiating down ...