Heart attack Angina Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG)

If an angiogram shows that you have areas of narrowing in your coronary arteries that cannot be treated by angioplasty you may require coronary artery bypass surgery. This surgery has been shown to reduce symptoms of angina for many people or reduce their risk of having a cardiac event in the future.

 

Coronary artery bypass surgery involves taking a blood vessel from either your leg, chest wall or arm and using this blood vessel to bypass the narrowed areas of your coronary arteries. This is done by attaching the blood vessel to the main artery leaving the heart (the aorta) and to the coronary artery below the part where the narrowing or blockage is. This allows a good supply of blood to reach your heart muscle.

 

For some people both an angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery are an option, for others there may not be a choice and only one procedure may be suitable. If you are suitable for either an angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery, the doctors will discuss the risks and benefits of each procedure with you to help you decide which is the best treatment for you.

 

You may be told the best treatment for you is neither of the above procedures and that your coronary heart disease will be managed with medications. You will get some information about this when you are in hospital and more when you come to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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