The decision for aortocoronary bypass grafting in ischemic heart disease involves balancing short-term peri-operative risks against long-term benefits like pain relief and prolonged survival.
Ideally, therapy for patients with ischemic heart disease should both relieve disabling symptoms and increase life expectancy. Aortocoronary bypass grafts1 can relieve severe angina in most patients2 , 3 but have appreciable immediate costs. The decision about such operations therefore involves balancing these short-term costs (e.g., peri-operative morbidity and mortality) against possible long-term benefits (e.g., relief of pain and prolonged survival). Although the physician caring for a patient with coronary disease can provide advice about these costs and benefits, the ultimate decision must be made by the patient and must depend, in part, upon the relative importance of relief of pain and . . .
Stephen G. Pauker (Thu,) conducted a editorial in Ischemic heart disease. Aortocoronary bypass grafts was evaluated. The decision for aortocoronary bypass grafting in ischemic heart disease involves balancing short-term peri-operative risks against long-term benefits like pain relief and prolonged survival.