Waiting for your cardiac surgery

Once your primary care provider decides you would benefit from having heart surgery, you will be referred to a heart surgeon. The surgeon's office will contact you in about four weeks to arrange a consultation.

During this time before you meet with the surgeon, they will review your tests and gather information from your health-care team (primary care provider and cardiologist) to better understand your overall health history. The surgeon may arrange for additional tests.

If you have not received a call from the surgeon's office after four weeks, please get in touch with them.

During your consultation with the surgeon, you will have an opportunity to ask questions about your condition and discuss the following: 

• the surgery 
• the risks and benefits of having the surgery  
• the timing of the surgery 
• consent for surgery 

While waiting for surgery, if you notice any changes in your condition, call your primary care provider or cardiologist. Try to avoid activities or situations that cause you to have symptoms related to your condition. If your symptoms worsen or if you are having difficulty managing your symptoms, call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency department. 

It is very normal to feel anxious or worried before surgery. Having pain or trouble moving can affect your mood and disrupt your sleep. The relaxation exercises and tips at the bottom of this page can help with these symptoms.

Visit Canadian Mental Health Association Website for supports on managing your feelings and emotions.

Canadian Mental Health Association

Proper nutrition plays an important role in preparing for cardiac surgery and optimizing recovery outcomes. Eating enough calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals can help you get better faster. 

Before your surgery, eat a healthy, balanced diet to better prepare you for the procedure and recovery. It is important to eat enough so your body has the right material and fuel to build tissue, minimize muscle loss, and help you fight infections. 

If you are losing weight, you are likely not getting enough calories. Below are some tips that you may find helpful. 

• Make the most of each bite by choosing high-protein, nutrient-rich foods. For example: chicken, lean meats, tofu, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, and milk. 
• Try to eat at least three meals and one snack each day to help meet your calorie and protein needs. 
• Try protein bars, nut butter on toast, or hummus and crackers for quick and easy snacks.
• Choose fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals.
• Whole grains are also a good source of vitamins and minerals. 
• Choose heart-healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. 
• Limit foods like pop, potato chips, and chocolate bars. They are low in nutrients needed for healing. 
• Discuss multivitamins and mineral supplements with your primary care provider to see if they are right for you. 

Dietitian or primary care provider support 

It may be helpful to speak to a primary care provider or a dietitian if you have had any of the following: 

• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain in the past six weeks.
• Decrease in appetite.
• Nausea.
• Problems with digestion.
• Problems with swallowing. 

A dietitian can help you choose healthy foods that will help prepare you for surgery. 

You can get a referral to see a dietitian from your primary care provider, or if you have questions about your diet, contact HealthLinkBC by dialling 8-1-1 on your phone and asking to speak to a dietitian (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday). Be sure to tell them you are going for surgery. 

Exercise helps you be in the best shape possible before your surgery and can help speed up your recovery. You do not need to join a gym. Just going for a walk for 15 to 30 minutes per day is helpful. Talk to your primary care provider before starting an exercise plan. The mall is a good place to walk during the winter and summer months when temperatures can be more intense.

Try low-impact activities for 30 minutes a day, such as walking, swimming, aqua-aerobics or stationary cycling. You need to tailor any exercise to match your physical activity level. Avoid exercises that make your symptoms (discomfort, pain, shortness of breath) worse. We suggest you start slowly with 10 minutes, three days a week, and gradually build up, ideally to 30 minutes, five days a week. 

Exercise may:

• Build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints.
• Build and maintain balance and exercise endurance.
• Reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Increase energy levels.

Home Exercises 

We suggest completing the exercises listed here three times a week prior to surgery.

Improving Your Posture

Improving your posture may also help with your recovery. We suggest you start slowly with three sets of 10 reps, three times a day, or as tolerated. 

Deep breathing exercise 

Deep breathing opens your lungs, exercises the lung muscles and improves oxygen delivery to your body. 

Doing these exercises BEFORE surgery helps speed up your recovery AFTER surgery. Do these exercises every hour while you are awake.

Smoking and tobacco 

Studies show that people who stop smoking at least one month before surgery have fewer complications, such as infections, after surgery.

If you would like to stop smoking, talk to your primary care provider or pharmacist about how to stop smoking. There are treatments (for example, nicotine replacement therapies or medications) that can improve your chances of stopping smoking. Some people use vaping as a way to stop smoking. However, there are health risks related to vaping, and you should avoid vaping. If you are considering vaping, talk to your primary care provider first. 

Alcohol

If you drink an excessive amount of alcohol regularly, talk to your primary care provider about how you can safely reduce your alcohol intake. Stopping or decreasing your alcohol intake suddenly can cause withdrawal.  

Alcohol can interfere with your anesthetic and other medications given to you during and after surgery. Do not drink any alcohol for at least 48 hours before your surgery. 

Cannabis 

Cannabis may affect your response to anesthesia, management of your pain after surgery, and increase your risk for complications during surgery. Depending on how much cannabis you use and how regularly you use it, you may also be at risk of developing withdrawal in hospital. Do not use cannabis on the day of your surgery.

If you are using cannabis recreationally and not for medical reasons, speak to your health-care team to find out how cannabis may affect your health. 

Relaxation

• It is very normal to feel anxious or worried before surgery. Having pain or trouble moving can affect your mood and disrupt your sleep. We also know that stress increases the release of hormones that can delay healing and recovery. 
• Exercise, meditation, relaxation, and breathing exercises can help improve your outcomes after surgery. These can also help to reduce pain and promote sleep. 
• Try this focused breathing exercise: 
  • Sit or lie down in a quiet place. 
  • Relax your muscles and be aware of feeling them ‘let go.’ 
  • Take a slow, deep breath in. 
  • When you breathe out, focus on making it long, steady, and slow. 
• Talk to your primary care provider if you have difficulty sleeping or your mood is low.