While waiting for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery many patients receive little if any medical and nursing input, at a time which is very stressful for them and their families. This randomised controlled trial will test whether a home-based, nurse-led support and education programme for patients waiting for such surgery can optimise mental and physical fitness and improve coronary heart disease risk factors by addressing anxiety, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and serum cholesterol in the waiting period. Patients will be followed up in their own homes monthly by a cardiac nurse and given lifestyle advice and information to prepare them for surgery. Primary outcome measurements will be anxiety, length of stay, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, smoking and body mass index. Secondary outcomes will be quality of life, and post-operative complications. Economic analysis and qualitative assessment of patients’ opinion of the programme will also be performed.