OBJECTIVE Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is performed to treat the symptoms of coronary artery disease. The aim was to establish via multiple regression analyses the determinants of physical and mental health-related quality of life 5 years post-CABG. METHODS A total of 109 patients agreed to participate in a face-to-face follow-up study 5 years after surgery and completed the Short-Form 36 (SF-36), dietary, physical activity, and psychologic well-being questionnaires. RESULTS Hierarchic regression analysis was performed using the SF-36 summary scores for the physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) as dependent variables. Preoperative angina scores and at follow-up, comorbid illness, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and physical activity accounted for 37% of PCS variance. Preoperative anxiety, interim myocardial infarction and age, diet scores, and anxiety and depression symptoms (at follow-up) accounted for 60% of MCS variance. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that both anxiety and depressive symptoms are strongly implicated in determining PCS and MCS 5 years post-CABG using the SF-36.