The purpose of this study was to determine whether depression 1 month after coronary artery bypass surgery would be associated with greater cardiac morbidity in patients 5 years later. The cardiac symptom most affected by depression was the recurrence of angina. Factors associated with a return of angina at 5 years were depression measured preoperatively, at 1 month, at 1 year, and at 5 years. Additional significant factors were male sex and a preoperative history of smoking, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or cerebrovascular accident. When these factors were combined in multiple logistic regression analyses, the score on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at 1 month was the most significant of all factors. The depression score at 1 month after coronary artery bypass surgery is an important indicator of cardiac morbidity up to 5 years later.