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Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Bypass surgery reduces angina and other symptoms of coronary artery disease. About 95 out of 100 people who have the surgery get relief from chest pain right away, and 5 out of 100 do not.4
- More than 80 people out of 100 are still free of chest pain 5 years after surgery.4 People who have bypass surgery tend to have longer relief from repeat heart problems compared to people who have other treatments.
- Bypass surgery can increase your chances of living a longer life. More than 90 people out of 100 who have a bypass are still alive 5 years after surgery.4
- How long a bypass lasts depends on how long the blood vessel grafts stay open. The risk of needing another operation gets higher each year after your surgery. After 5 years, about 2 out of 100 people need another surgery. After 10 years, 7 out of 100 people need another surgery.1
Lifestyle changes and medicines
The success of bypass surgery also depends on you. If you smoke and don't quit, you won't get the most benefit from bypass surgery. You may need to make some other big changes, like eating right and getting regular exercise. These changes will help your bypass grafts last and stay open longer. They will also give you the best chance of living a longer, healthier life.
If you are taking medicines for angina, to lower cholesterol, or to control blood pressure, be sure to take these every day. Along with lifestyle changes, these medicines can help you get the most benefit from bypass surgery.
Bypass surgery is not a cure for heart disease. That's why all of these things—eating right, not smoking, getting exercise, and taking medicines—are so important. Without them, you raise your risk of getting new blockages and needing another surgery.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 10, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine John A. McPherson, MD, FACC, FSCAI - Cardiology | |
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