a day or two in the intensive care unit after coronary bypass surgery. Here, your heart, blood pressure, breathing and other vital signs will be continuously monitored.
Sounds drastically complicated and scary, however, after coronary bypass surgery, symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath due to poor blood flow to the heart, generally improve. Furthermore, for some, coronary bypass surgery may even improve heart function and reduce the risk of dying of heart disease altogether.
What are the risks?
Because coronary bypass surgery is an open-heart surgery, you may have complications during or following your procedure. Possible complications of coronary bypass surgery include:
- Bleeding
- Heart rhythm irregularities (arrhythmias)
- Infections of the chest wound
- Memory loss or troubles with thinking clearly, which often improve within six to 12 months
- Kidney problems
- Stroke
- Heart attack, if a blood clot breaks loose soon after surgery
Your risk of developing complications is generally low, however, it will depend on your health before surgery.
Although bypass surgery improves blood supply to the heart, it doesn’t cure underlying coronary artery disease. You can remain symptom-free for as long as 10 to 15 years. Over time, however, it’s likely that