Tests You Need Before Heart Bypass Surgery (CABG)
Heart bypass surgery tests include a physical exam, stress test, echocardiography and ECG. Learn when CABG is needed and who is not advised to have it.
Some heart conditions call for surgery. One option is Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, better known as heart bypass surgery. It is usually recommended for people with coronary heart disease, and patients have to complete several tests first. Here is what you need to know.
When Does a Patient Need CABG Surgery?
Before going further, several conditions can make this procedure necessary. Not every patient needs it, given that the risks are not small. A few indications point to this treatment. One is a fairly severe blockage.
It also applies to people with a severe blockage in the left main coronary artery, which supplies blood to the left ventricle and onward to the whole body. Patients whose blocked vessels can't be treated with a ring (stent) also need this surgery.
Patients with unbearable chest pain are included as well, since the pain brings discomfort and shortness of breath. Heart bypass surgery also applies to patients with more than one problem in their coronary arteries, or more than one blockage or narrowing.
Even when a patient has these conditions, other factors need careful attention. Heart patients who are not at risk of a heart attack are not advised to have this procedure. Patients over 85 years old face a high risk, and the risk of complications rises too.
Tests Required Before CABG Surgery
This kind of surgery is not something to take lightly. Everything has to meet the requirements set by the medical team, so the patient must go through several examinations first. In the first stage, the doctor examines the lungs, the pulse and the heart. Next, the patient is interviewed about symptoms and condition.
The doctor may also recommend a stress test to see how the heart behaves during physical activity. Before bypass surgery, the patient also needs an echocardiography test to check the shape and size of the heart, the condition of the valves and the heart chambers. This test uses sound waves.
The next test is an ECG, or electrocardiogram, which measures the electrical activity of the patient's heart. An ECG also helps detect arrhythmia, coronary heart disease (CHD) or damage from a heart attack. With these tests, the doctor can see clearly which part is blocked.
CABG surgery is not a minor procedure. Many factors must be weighed before going ahead. The aim is to help the patient's condition and save the patient's life. If you want to know more, you can turn to Heartology Cardiovascular Center for plenty of information on heart health.
Read also: What to Watch After Heart Bypass Surgery
