About this topic
Normally, you have many blood vessels that bring blood to the heart muscle. If one of them is blocked, your doctor will try to restore normal blood flow. This surgery uses another blood vessel to let the blood flow around the one with the blockage. You may have surgery on more than one blocked blood vessel. After surgery, you may have more blood flow to your heart muscle. This may lower your risk of heart attack or chest pain. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do. ‚
Your doctor may want you to take part in a heart rehab program. This will help your healing and improve your heart function. Patients attend the program after their surgery a few days a week. The program teaches exercise and how to lower risk factors for heart disease and stress. It also can help you deal with the low mood that sometimes happens after surgery. ‚
Be sure to follow your doctors advice about: ‚
- Wound care for your chest and other sites. Your doctor will tell you when or how often you will need to change your dressing. Be sure you know the signs to watch for and when to call your doctor.
- Showering. Do not to take a bath or swim until your doctor tells you it is OK. You may take a shower, but make sure that cut site is covered with plastic wrap so it will not get wet.
- Supporting your chest when you cough, sneeze, or laugh. Use a pillow or hug yourself to ease pain.
- Doing your coughing and breathing exercises.
- Walking and other exercises to help your healing.
- Quitting smoking. Talk with your doctor for help to stop smoking.
- Lowering stress. Find ways to cope with your stress or talk to your doctor about it.
- Taking drugs for high blood pressure, heart rhythm, blood thinning, and lowering cholesterol.
- Having blood tests and exams as ordered after the surgery.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Your doctor may do some tests to check your overall progress. Your doctor may also change your drugs if needed. Together you can make a plan for more care.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Lower cholesterol
- Help with pain
- Control blood pressure
- Keep heartbeat regular
- Prevent blood clots
- Prevent infection
Will physical activity be limited?
- You will have to limit your activity for 3 to 6 weeks. Your doctor will give you some precautions you need to follow. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
- Avoid driving for a few weeks until your doctor tells you it is allowed and you are no longer taking prescription pain drugs.
- Ask your doctor when to return to your normal activities like work and sex.
- Exercise often. Talk with your doctor about what exercise is safe for you. Be sure to ask your doctor before you start any new activities.
What changes to diet are needed?
Eat a heart healthy diet with foods low in fat, sugar, and salt. Eat high-fiber foods such as whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Ask your doctor to plan a visit with a dietician if you need help with your diet. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Internal bleeding or bleeding at the cut site
- Infection
- Stroke or heart attack
- Pneumonia
- Blood clot in the lung
- Kidney failure
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if you have: ‚
- Signs of heart attack:
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fast heartbeat
- Feeling dizzy
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Call your doctor if you have: ‚
- Signs of a very bad reaction. These include sudden shortness of breath or a sudden onset of chest pain; soreness or redness above or below your knee, more pain behind your calf; more swelling in your calf, foot, or ankle. Go to the ER right away.
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; chills; redness, swelling, very bad sore throat, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum, pain with passing urine, burning, urgency, and blood in the urine.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Any signs including pain, upset stomach, throwing up that does not go away even with drugs you are taking
- Rapid heart rate
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you when I can go back to my normal activities.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have signs of an infection.
Where can I learn more?
American Heart Association ‚
http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadable/ucm_300434.pdf ‚
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cabg/ ‚
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons ‚
http://www.sts.org/patient-information/adult-cardiac-surgery/cabg-information ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚