Relationship between adherence to treatment plans and quality of life in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of death all around the world, and the complications of heart disease can reduce the patient's quality of life.Adherence to a therapeutic plan can reduce surgical complications and promote the healing process. This study aimed to survey the relationship between adherence to a therapeutic plan and quality of life in discharged patients after a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Descriptive correlational research was carried out to discover relationships among variables. The study was conducted in Hamadan hospital in 2014. Seventyone patients undergoing CABG surgery were selected by convenience sampling method. Before discharge, the patients completed the Mac New Quality of Life Questionnaire and adherence to therapeutic plan questionnaire that included medicine adherence, recommended care, diet and exercise orders, and incentive spirometry. After five weeks, patients again completed the questionnaires, and the data were analyzed. There was a positive and significant relationship  between patients' quality of life and adherence to the treatment plan. As the treatment program increased, the patients' quality of life also increased (r= 0.695, p <0.05). More adherence to treatment plans in patients undergoing CABG surgery leads to the enhancement of the quality of life in patients.