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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
cardiac bypass surgery
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
cardiac bypass surgery
by chris__0__0, May 19, 1999 12:00AM
Posted by chris on May 19, 1999 at 10:09:24
This is an update of the situation that I posted about last week. My friend had a negative stress treadmill test but the thallium test showed a blockage in the right coronary artery. The cardiac cath confirmed this finding, but they decided that the blockage was too small for angioplasty. He was told he was not a candidate for bypass surgery. Was this because the blockage was too small at the present time, or are some blockages not able to be bypassed? He is being managed with medication, but still has pain.
Thank you.
Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on May 20, 1999 at 13:43:02
Dear Chris
It sounds like your friend had a blockage in a small branch of the right coronary artery that was too small to perform an angioplasty. Bypassing this blockage would not be worth the risk of surgery, most likely. Treatment with medications sounds reasonable. If he is still having symptoms, he may need more or different medications. If symptoms persist even then, the pain may not be due to the heart after all.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
Posted by chris on May 20, 1999 at 17:57:19
Will the meds stop the blockage from becoming worse? Thanks you.
Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on May 24, 1999 at 21:00:04
Dear Chris
Cholesterol lowering medications and a good diet can help prevent blockages from getting worse, though not always - a large part of coronary artery disease is genetic.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
