This prospective, longitudinal study examined the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of 100 patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography. The specific aims of this study were to compare patients with and without high baseline levels of uncertainty and to examine the influence of uncertainty on HRQOL 1 year after the initial angiography. Patients’ HRQOL, symptoms, uncertainty, perceived control, social support, and stressful life events were studied before (4 days to 1 week) angiography and 1 year after angiography. Patients with higher baseline uncertainty had significantly lower levels of perceived control, higher levels of anxiety, and higher levels of depression at 1 year than did patients who had lower uncertainty before the procedure, regardless of outcome and treatment regimen.

Patients who had no evidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) on the angiogram reported more distress before the procedure; however, at 1 year, no differences according to angiographic outcome were apparent in the...

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