The hearts of patients who are given vitamin E before undergoing heart surgery are less susceptible to certain postoperative complications than are the hearts of patients who are not given vitamin E before heart surgery  From six hours after surgery onward, however, the survivors from both groups show the same level of heart function, on average, and also recover equally well
Despite this lack of long-term effect, doctors often recommend vitamin E for patients about to undergo heart surgery
Postoperative complications pose the greatest threat to patients during the first six hours after heart surgery.