Coronary

Artery Bypass
Pamphlet

BY: Emma Kammann

 Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Basic structure of the heart:

The heart is about the size of your fist, and is divided into 4 different chambers. Right and left atria
composing the top half heart and the bigger of the 4 chambers, the right and left ventricles, which
compose of the bottom half of the heart. The atria receives blood, and the ventricles pump the blood.
There are 4 valves as well, pulmonary valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, and the mitral valve.

What conditions would cause a patient to have to have bypass

surgery?
Artery blockage caused by plaque buildup, and this is also known as a Coronary Artery block up.
Surgeons will have to go into the heart to replace the valve.

What is a heart bypass surgery?

Bypass surgery is used to replace damaged arteries in the heart muscle. During the procedure, the
surgeon uses blood vessels taken from another area of the body such as the leg, arm, or chest to
repair the damages arteries by connecting it to the other arteries in the heart so that blood bypasses
the diseased or blocked area. This artery graft is attached on one end to the aorta and then the other
end is attached below the blockage.
Time: 3-6 hours under general anesthesia

What will be done before the operation to prepare

(In the 2 or 3 weeks prior to surgery, attend any scheduled appointments with your surgeon. You will
need to have several tests done before your surgery. Most of these tests are done so that your
doctors can evaluate and compare your health before and after CABG surgery.

Patient precautions after surgery.

After surgery, patients are required to take medications that decrease the workload of the heart and
reduces the risk for heart attacks in the future.
Medications that usually are prescribed - acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) to prevent blood clots, beta-
blockers, cholesterol-lowering medications, and ACE inhibitors, medications that control blood
pressure.
Bathing - remember not to submerge your incision in a tub bath. Showers are best until your doctor
advises you otherwise
Lifestyle changes - No smoking, control hypertension and diabetes, exercise regularly, reduce stress
in life, modify diet

What is cardiac rehab/What is its purpose/and why will a

patient have to attend after having bypass surgery?
Its a medically supervised program designed to help improve your cardiovascular health if you have
experienced heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty or heart surgery. Consists of Exercise counseling,
risk factor management, and counseling to reduce stress. It strengthens the heart and maintains its
health over time