From an interview with Dr. Scot Schultz McLeod Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates

Surgically bypassing clogged arteries is one of the most common heart procedures. A person rushed to the hospital for a heart attack is one of the most likely patients of the heart bypass.

McLeod Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Scot Schultz discusses who may need a bypass BEFORE the heart attack strikes.

Here are a few points from Dr. Schultz’s video:

• The most common indication for a coronary artery bypass graft is blockage of the coronary arteries resulting in a heart attack. That’s usually caused by what we called arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.
• What typically happens is plaque builds-up inside small arteries of the heart that measure anywhere between 1-3 millimeters (about one-tenth of an inch) in size. Plaque contains mostly cholesterol build-up and over time that build-up will become very hard.
• There are subsets of patients who benefit from bypass surgery, rather than angioplasty.
• In general, we reserve coronary artery bypass grafting for patients with multiple blockages and diabetic patients. It’s also commonly used for patients who have left ventricular dysfunction or impairment of their heart muscle.
• Bypass surgery does have risk associated with it. And the risks are a bit higher than angioplasty but the long-term survival seems to be better for certain patients who have bypass surgery than if they have multiple arterial stents.

You may also find these articles helpful:

Cardiac Stress Test. You May Need One.

You’ve Had Heart Surgery. Now What?

Cardiologists generally handle the initial diagnosis and testing and, if surgery is needed, work with Cardiothoracic Surgeons.

Find a Cardiologist.