Coronary bypass surgery

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How you prepare

By Mayo Clinic staff

To prepare for coronary bypass surgery, your doctor will give you specific instructions about any activity restrictions and changes in your diet or medications you should follow before surgery. You'll need several presurgical tests, often including chest X-rays, blood tests, an electrocardiogram and a coronary angiogram. A coronary angiogram is a special type of X-ray procedure that uses dye to visualize the arteries that feed your heart. Most people are admitted to the hospital the morning of the surgery. Coronary bypass surgery may also be performed in emergency situations, such as a heart attack.

Be sure to make arrangements for the weeks following your surgery. It will take about four to six weeks for you to recover to the point where you can resume driving, return to work and perform daily chores.

References
  1. Eagle KA, et al. ACC/AHA 2004 guideline update for coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Summary article — A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2004;110:1168.
  2. Bypass surgery, coronary artery. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4484. Accessed May 11, 2010.
  3. Shapira OM, et al. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery after acute ST elevation myocardial infraction. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 11, 2010.
  4. Aranki S, et al. Early cardiac complications after coronary artery bypass surgery. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 11, 2010.
  5. Aranki S, et al. Early noncardiac complications after coronary artery bypass surgery. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 11, 2010.
  6. Holzhey DM, et al. Seven-year follow-up after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass: Experience with more than 1300 patients. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2007;83:104.
  7. Suaya JA, et al. Use of cardiac rehabilitation by Medicare beneficiaries after myocardial infarction or coronary bypass surgery. Circulation. 2007;116:1653.
  8. Puskas JD, et al. Off-pump coronary bypass provides reduced mortality and morbidity and equivalent 10-year survival. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2008;86:1139.
MY00087 July 1, 2010

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