No one want’s to be the one to go under the knife, but what if it’s a matter of life or death? Well, coronary artery disease is real and plague’s 49-44% of Black men and women each year. So, what might keep them alive? Your doctor may suggest coronary bypass surgery, but here’s what you’ll need to know first:
According to Mayo Clinic, coronary bypass surgery is a surgical procedure that diverts the flow of blood around a section of a blocked or partially blocked artery in your heart. By creating a new pathway to the heart, coronary bypass surgery improves blood flow to your heart muscle.
What should you expect?
During coronary bypass surgery, a healthy blood vessel is taken from your leg, arm or chest and connected to the other arteries in your heart so that blood bypasses the diseased or blocked area. Coronary bypass surgery is a major operation. Expect to spenda 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.
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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:
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- 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 thatother arteries or even the new graft used in the bypass will become clogged, requiring another bypass or angioplasty.
Your results and long-term outcome will depend in part on taking your medications to prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and help control diabetes as directed, and following healthy lifestyle recommendations, such as exercising, eating healthy and participating in cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Seeking more information about coronary artery disease? Consult with your doctor and find out more about coronary artery disease on our Health Conditions tab on BlackDoctor.org.
