Summary of Guidelines for Recovery After Heart Surgery

Dietary Guidlines

1. DIET

Predominantly or exclusively vegetarian diet. If non vegetarian, choose from egg white,fatty fish, roasted chicken and occasional lean meat. Avoid organ meats.
Milk:
Qty.: 800 ml/day (Skimmed/toned)
Cereals: Wheat (whole flour), with soybean/ kala chana; do not sift. Semi polished rice.
Pulses: predominantly whole grain (any 'sabut' dal)
Green leafy vegetables: with each major meal/small helpings if on acetrom.
Fruit with skin with each meal: Diabetics should avoid very sweet fruits.
Fat: Predominantly vegetable oil , no or minimal coconut or palm oil, desi ghee and margarine; use either (I) sunflower & groundnut oils in equal proportions; occasional mustard oil or (ii) Canola oil or (iii) Ricebran and sunflower oils.
Sugar: mild restriction/minimum if diabetic (use aspartame as artificial sweetener).
Salt: modest intake is desirable/intake should be minimal (1 tsf/day)
Alcohol: abstain 6 weeks after CABG; then may be in moderation.
Tea in moderation (2-3 cups/day; light).
Water and beverages: No restriction/Avoid fluids and aerated drinks in excess.

2. Medicines: As given in prescription card.

3. Physical activity:
Activity Guidelines after CABG

WEEK 1-2
Permitted Activities ---- Activities to Avoid

• Personal hygiene
• Straining or lifting more than 3 Kg.
  Sponging, dressing and .
• Walking uphill.bathing after stitch removal
• Activity in extreme temperatures.
• Desk work: Reading, writing
• Sweeping, digging, shovelling.
• Riding in a car,
• Walking medium or large dog.
• Board or card games
• Driving
• Craft work: sewing knitting.
• Level walking.
  

WEEK 3-4

• All activities of week 1-2.
• Straining or lifting more than 5 kg.
• Light housework: Dusting,
• Walking steep hills. table setting.
• Activity in extreme temperatures.
• Playing musical instruments.
• Sweeping, digging, shoveling.
• Walking slight upgrades.
• Walking medium or large dog.
• Slowpaced gardening
• Driving. Weeding, planting small plants (No digging).
• Slowpaced ballroom dancing.

WEEK 5-6

• All activities of week 3-4.
• Straining or lifting more than 5 Kg.
• Medium work:Sweeping,
• Walking steep hills. laundry on automatic
• Activity in extreme temperatures washing machine
• Sweeping, digging, shoveling.
• Catching or crossing ball
• Driving.
• Golf: Pitch and putt.
• Gardening: No digging.
• Walking dog.
• Sexual intercourse: After approval from cardiologist.

When To Walk

• Any time of the day, but be sure to space your sessions evenly throughout the day.
• Do not perform all your walking in the morning.
• Wait at least 1 hour after meals and 1/2 hour after bath before you walk or engage in other physical activity.

Signs And Symptoms
Be alert for dizziness, shortness of breath, spreading (angina like) chest pain and excessive fatigue before, during and after exercise.

Warm-up
Perform sitting/standing range of motion exercises prescribed to you before each walk.

Pace

• Walk at a brisk pace that does not leave you breathless. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you walk.
• Try to walk continuously for the prescribed amount of time on a level grade but do not hesitate to pause and rest, if necessary.

4. Shavasana: After walks.

5. Other advice:
Avoid bending operated leg or squatting on floor for 4 weeks.

6. Followup counselling: After C.C.C.