Activity level and employment status after coronary bypass surgery.

Questionnaires were sent to 1,100 postoperative coronary patients to evaluate their symptoms, activity level and employment status. Ninety percent considered themselves improved and more active since surgery. Many of the patients were approaching retirement age at the time of surgery, and 20 percent of the group entered retirement postoperatively. Disregarding those who were unemployed or disabled from noncardiac illness before surgery, 82 percent of the patients either retired or returned to work after coronary surgery. From an economic standpoint, the disabled patients who have been able to return to work by virtue of the operation will generate for the economy 34 percent more than the total cost of surgery for all the patients.