Depressive symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease/Sintomas depresivos en pacientes con enfermedad arterial coronariana/Sintomas depressivos em pacientes com doenca arterial coronariana

Objective. To assess the presence of depressive symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease in the preoperative period for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil. Methods. A cross-sectional study with 63 hospitalized patients prior to CABG. Two instruments were used for data collection; one for the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and the other to evaluate the presence of depressive symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results. The mean age was 58 years; most were male (60.3%); with a partner (81%) low educational level (71.4% attended school through elementary school). Among the patients, 36.5% were classified with dysphoria, and 25.4% had some degree of depression (6.3% mild, 17.5% moderate, and 1.6% severe). The group of patients with lower educational level presented higher depressive symptoms. Conclusion. Six of every ten patients with coronary artery disease showed dysphoria or some degree of depression. The results of this study can support the planning of nursing care for patients before and after CABG, as well as the development of public health policies to ensure complete, quality care for these patients, understanding depression as a variable that can interfere with recovery after cardiac surgery. Key words: depression; coronary artery disease; nursing; psychiatric status rating scales; prevalence. Objetivo. Evaluar la presencia de sintomas depresivos en pacientes con coronariopatia en el preoperatorio de cirugia de revascularizacion del miocardio (CRVM) en el municipio de Aracaju, Sergipe, Brasil. Metodos. Estudio de corte transversal realizado con 63 pacientes hospitalizados quienes esperaban una CRVM. Para la recoleccion de datos se utilizaron dos instrumentos: uno para la caracterizacion sociodemografica y clinica y otro para la evaluacion de presencia de sintomas depresivos (Inventario de Depresion de Beck--IDB). Resultados. La edad media fue de 58 anos; la mayoria era de sexo masculino (60.3%); tenia companero (81%), y presentaba baja escolaridad (71.4%, con estudios incompletos de primaria). Dentro de los pacientes, el 36.5% clasifico en disforia y un 25.4% presentaba algun grado de depresion (6.3% leve, 17.5% moderada y 1.6% grave. El grupo de pacientes que tenia menor grado de escolaridad presento mayor presencia de sintomas depresivos. Conclusion. Seis de cada diez pacientes con coronariopatia presento disforia o algun grado de depresion. Los resultados de este estudio contribuyen a