Currently in the UK, treatments used most frequently for a heart attack are thrombolytic (clotbuster) drugs, other medication, or primary angioplasty (see 'Initial treatments' and 'Medication & side effects'). Occasionally, in a small proportion of heart attacks, coronary artery bypass surgery may be needed.
A small proportion of people die, suffer a stroke or heart failure from coronary artery bypass surgery. Here, people talk about successful outcomes from their bypass surgery. Some had their surgery a few days after their heart attack. Others had the operation several months later. One man described how he felt when he was told during his angiogram that he would need bypass surgery immediately.
One woman in her eighties, explained how some of the doctors advised against bypass surgery, and why she wanted to go ahead with it. One man reported how the surgeon described the operation to him before he asked him to sign the consent form for bypass surgery. Another man wanted to know how many bypass operations the cardiac surgeon had done before he signed the consent form and what were the things that might go wrong.
The prospect of bypass surgery can be frightening. One man said he had been terrified before his operation but other patients and the nurses on the ward had helped to calm his fears. Another who felt well informed about the surgery, said he felt a little apprehensive, but relaxed.
One man, whose operation was done at short notice because of a cancellation, said that he didn't have time to be anxious because everything happened so quickly. Another had to have his operation delayed for a week because the surgeons had been unaware he was taking the blood thinning drug, clopidogrel.
Some people mentioned that the first few days after the operation were difficult, but that they soon recovered.
Many were surprised how weak they felt. Some people lost weight during their stay in hospital. One man who had worried about having a urinary catheter said that it was only in for two days and it didn't affect him. Many were encouraged by the way the nurses got them out of bed and walking a few days after their operation. One man had felt encouraged by seeing ex-bypass patients exercising in the gym. Another describes the 'black' day he had been warned he would have soon after his operation.
Pain relief is given during and after the operation and some said that they had less pain than they had expected. Many had more discomfort in their leg, where the vein had been removed, than they did in their chest (see 'Recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery').
Another recalled that it was painful when the chest drains were removed and he had experienced complications. But others said that having the drains removed had been fine.
Most people can leave hospital a week after coronary bypass surgery and continue with their recovery at home (see 'Recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery').
For more information on coronary bypass surgery see the British Heart Foundation’s website.
Last reviewed August 2010.
Last updated September 2010.
