Know All About CAD and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
We know that there are two different types of cholesterol in the body. LDL or the bad cholesterol works to stiffen the arteries and block the blood vessels while the good cholesterol prevents this blockage and transfers all the fat to the liver. If someone has an excess of bad cholesterol in their body, it gets deposited on the walls of the arteries as plaque. It can damage the arteries and further it can cause coronary artery disease. When someone has coronary artery disease there is a buildup of fatty material, inflammatory cells, cellular waste products, etc within the walls of the arteries. This blockage further prevents the circulation of oxygenated blood through the heart muscles. The cells are not able to excrete their waste and it gets deposited in the walls of the arteries thus hindering the proper functioning of the heart. This plaque damages the blood vessels as well as arteries. This is why CAD or Coronary Artery Disease can be a very fatal illness. It can be the main cause of heart attacks and complete heart dysfunction too.
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What are the symptoms of CAD?
There are several symptoms and signs that can confirm if a patient is going through a CAD or not. Some of the main signs are listed below.
- The most prominent symptom of CAD is angina or feeling of pain and heaviness in the chest. When someone experiences Angina they feel discomfort and tightness in the chest. It is mainly found in the heart but can also be experienced in the left arm and shoulder, neck, back and sometimes even in the jaws.
- When someone has CAD experience shortness of breath and sweating.
- A person might also experience extreme weakness and a very fast heart beat.
- A person will experience heart palpitations which include skipping off beats and irregular heartbeats.
- A patient who has CAD feels dizzy and nauseated most of the time.
- A patient going to CAD experiences lightheadedness and digestion problems.
A person who has been experiencing the symptoms persistently for some time is advised to visit a doctor and get themselves diagnosed as soon as possible.
How can CAD be treated?
There are several ways to treat artery disease. The type of treatment depends on the number of arteries that are experiencing black development and blockage. If a person has just one or two arteries blocked then it can be cured with the help of medicines, a strict diet and using stents. However if three or more than three arteries are blocked then a person is advised to go for CABG or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
What is CABG?
In severe cases of Coronary Heart Disease, a person is advised to go through coronary artery bypass grafting. In this type of surgery a substitute path is made to the heart which helps to ease the blood circulation thus improving the heart functioning. In CABG a healthy vein or artery is grafted to the blocked artery. This vein which has been connected to the blocked artery is made to bypass the blocked area of the coronary artery. This creates an open path for the oxygenated blood to circulate through the heart from around the blocked area. The heart bypass surgery cost in India is around 4000 USD. It can vary depending upon the seriousness of the illness and the number of arteries that need to be operated. To know more about it let us understand how Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery is performed.
How is CABG performed?
Before the surgery is performed the Doctor asks for a patient’s medical history and if the patient has any other medical conditions. A physical examination is done and after that a blood test is also carried out. This blood test is done to check the speed at which the patient’s blood starts to clot. Once all the testing is complete, the patient prepares for the surgery. The surgery is performed on normal anesthesia and it continues for about 3 to 6 hours. During the surgery the doctor inserts a breathing tube in the mouth of the patient and this too is linked to the ventilator. The surgeon then gives the patient medicine which stops the heart from working. Then an incision is made to cut the heart. A machine that helps to transport oxygen and blood to the whole body while the heart is not working is connected to the body. Then a blood vessel from a different part of your body is removed and connected to the aorta. The other end of this blood vessel is attached with the artery that lies below the blockage. Depending on the number of arteries that are blocked the surgeon may perform the same operation number of times.
CABG can also be formed on the heart that is beating. There are special machines that help to stabilize the part of the heart that is being grafted.
India is a destination where thousands of Bypass surgeries are performed in a day. The Minimally Invasive Heart Bypass (CABG) Cost in India is nominal when compared to other parts of the world. Indian Medical Tourism is popular because, in India foreign patients can find the best facilities, knowledgeable doctors and top-class treatments, and nominal cost.
