What are the risks of coronary artery bypass graft surgery?
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is major surgery and patients may experience any of the complications associated with major surgery. The risk of death during coronary artery bypass graft surgery is two to three percent. Possible complications include graft closure and development of blockages in other arteries, long-term development of atherosclerotic disease of saphenous vein grafts, abnormal heart rhythms, high or low blood pressure, blood clots that can lead to a stroke or heart attack, infections, and depression. There is a higher risk for complications in patients who are heavy smokers, patients who have serious lung, kidney, or metabolic problems, or patients who have a reduced supply of blood to the brain. A 2003 report also described poverty as a risk factor for complications and death following coronary artery bypass surgery. It is likely that being poor is associated with a greater degree of stress, social isolation, and inadequate access to quick or preventive treatment
