Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the narrowing of the coronary arteries – the blood vessels that supply ...

Symptoms

Symptoms of coronary artery disease may include:

• Chest pain
• Fatigue (severe tiredness)
• Palpitations
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in the hands and feet
• Indigestion

Causes

Coronary artery disease is thought to begin with damage or injury to the inner layer of a coronary artery, sometimes as early as childhood. The damage may be caused by various factors, including:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes or insulin resistance
• Sedentary lifestyle

More about Treatment

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the narrowing of the coronary arteries – the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. CAD is caused by a build-up of fatty material within the walls of the arteries. This build-up narrows the inside of the arteries, limiting the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.

One way to treat the blocked or narrowed arteries is to bypass the blocked portion of the coronary artery with a piece of a healthy blood vessel from elsewhere in your body. Blood vessels, or grafts, used for the bypass procedure may be pieces of a vein from your leg or an artery in your chest. An artery from your wrist may also be used. Your doctor attaches one end of the graft above the blockage and the other end below the blockage. Blood bypasses the blockage by going through the new graft to reach the heart muscle. This is called coronary artery bypass surgery.

What are the risks of coronary artery bypass surgery?

Possible risks of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) include:
• Bleeding during or after the surgery
• Blood clots that can cause heart attack, stroke, or lung problems
• Infection at the incision site
• Pneumonia
• Breathing problems
• Pancreatitis
• Kidney failure
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Failure of the graft

FAQ

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