title: Caring for patients after coronary bypass surgery. Follow-up tips for primary care physicians.
abstract: Primary care physicians are often faced with follow-up care of patients who have had coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Familiarity with possible cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, and infectious complications is important, and an open line of communication with the consulting cardiologist and the cardiac surgeon is essential. Modification of coronary risk factors is one of the greatest challenges after bypass surgery. The primary care physician plays the major role in directing and monitoring life-style changes that reduce the risk of progressive coronary atherosclerosis. Recurrent myocardial ischemia after bypass surgery should be evaluated fully and is often responsive to nonsurgical therapies, including percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
authors.affiliation: William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kahn
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D005194:Family Practice; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000628:therapy; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors