OBJECTIVE: To understand the strategies used by patients in coping with heart coronary disease and surgical process of myocardial revascularization. METHODS: It was applied the Data analyses in Grounded Theory studies as a methodological reference to perform a re-reading of data from a larger study entitled as: "Signifying the surgical experience and the life process in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization". Data collection was carried out based on semi-structured interviews, with 23 participants (patients, their families and health professionals), from October, 2010 to August, 2011. RESULTS: The results showed the strategies used by patients undergoing myocardial revascularization in addressing the surgical procedure and coronary heart disease such as family, spiritual and professional support. CONCLUSION: The experience of cardiac surgery modifies the living process of cardiac patients and their strategies to let this experience less traumatic to them. Thus, such data have provided a theoretical basis for nursing care.
Myocardial revascularization; Coronary disease; Nursing; Perioperative nursing; Nursing care