Determination of food intake and the conditions which affect eating habits during the perioperative phase in patients WHO have undergone open heart surgery

Title: Determination of food intake and the conditions which affect eating habits during the perioperative phase in patients who have undergone open heart surgery Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the amount of food intake and to identify the conditions which affect the food intake during the perioperative phase. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted as a single-center, descriptive and cross sectional design study between February 4th and May 4th of 2015 in Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Cardiovascular Surgery Department. Eighty-six voluntary patients who met the sample criteria formed the sample of the research. Data was obtained using a questionnaire developed by the author. The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions which examined the descriptive features of the subjects and conditions that affected their intake of food. The statistical analysis of the data was done using SPSS 15.0. The value of p<0.05 was accepted as statistical significance. Findings: Of the patients, the mean age was 61.25±10.77years, 72% were male, 40.7% were high school graduates, 53.5% resided in big cities, and 64% did not use prosthodontics. The mean duration of operation was 183.19±27.3 minutes, of intubation 7.56±1.77 hours, of length of hospital stay 7.62±1.33 days. Among the patients, the mean rate of intake of the meal given was 38% on the one day prior to surgery, 51% on the day after surgery, 47% three days after surgery, and 52% five days after surgery. The most common symptom to occur on the day following surgery was nausea, with constipation being the most common on the third and fifth days following surgery. The patients' body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) decreased in the days after surgery, with an average decrease in weight of approximately 2kg measured five days following the surgery. Factors affecting food intake on the study days were indicated by patients were: of the day before surgery, 84.9% indicated "doctors and nurses expressions about not being eat"; of the day after surgery, 31.4% indicated "nausea before eating", and of the third day following surgery, 25.6% indicated "current or possible constipation". Additionally, a correlation was found between the patients' food intake and albumin levels averages (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was found that the patients experienced a postoperative decrease in weight and albumin levels. Many possible factors hindering intake were found, of which a significant amount could be corrected by health care personnel's proper interventions. Keywords: Malnutrition, Food Intake, Heart Surgery, Nursing.