Pain assessment in postoperative cardiac surgery

Objectives: To evaluate the intensity of pain in patients after cardiac surgery; the study aimed to: 1- identify possible associations between physiological alterations (tachycardia, tachypnea, increased blood pressure, sweating, paleness, nausea and vomiting) and postoperative pain, and 2- describe the used analgesia. Methods: This prospective study evaluated 30 patients in a public teaching hospital, from the immediately postoperative period till the 4th postoperative day. To analyze the data was used the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results: Most (26/86.7%) patients had pain, being 19 (63.3%) in the 1st postoperative day. It was found a predominance of mild pain during all occasions of evaluation. Also was found a correlation (p<0.001) between pain and the presence of physiological alterations, most frequently, tachypnea and increased blood pressure. The analgesia was treated with drugs, being the opiates and simple analgesics the most prescribed. Conclusion: A mild pain was present during all periods which influenced mainly the occurrence of tachypnea and high blood pressure. Only drugs were used for analgesia.