Assess the risk of falling after cardiac surgery

Introduction: Balance and coordination disorders are factors provoking falls in the elderly. Their fast and precise identification is therefore of vital importance.The aim of study was to assess the risk of falls and the influence of early hospital rehabilitation on the balance and coordination parameters in patients after cardiac surgery. Material and methods: The study was conducted on 207 patients: 44 women and 163 men (mean age 60.2 ± 14.0), who participated in cardiac rehabilitation following cardiac surgery. The risk of falls was tested twice with the use of the FallSkip device: after the initial mobilization and before the discharge. Results: After rehabilitation, improvement was noted in the whole group in all analysed functional parameters and in the reduction of the risk of falls (p < 0.0001). A significantly higher risk of falls was observed in women in comparison with men, in indywiduals aged >70 in comparison with patients aged <70 (p < 0.001). After rehabilitation the risk of falls decreased significantly in men (p < 0.001) and in individuals aged <70, (p < 0.001), as well as in patients with the body mass index <30 (p < 0.012). There was a tendency for better results in men in all tested parameters. Conclusions: It was observed that even a short, limited mobility of the patient after surgery (approx. 48 hours), incre ases the risk of fall. Rehabilitation after cardiac surgery significantly improved the effectiveness of gait, time of reaction in response to audio stimuli, increased muscular strength of lower limbs and significantly reduced the risk of falls. The FallSkip equipment is useful in the assessment of the risk of falls in patients after cardiac surgery.