How Long Can You Live With A Triple Bypass?
It is common for a person suffering from heart disease to undergo bypass surgery, especially in the case of coronary artery disease or a leaky valve. A doctor does not opt for the operation right away upon detecting the illness. Doctor performs a series of tests and understands the symptoms of the patient to arrive at a conclusion. In addition to it, the age of the patient, the overall health, any undergoing treatment, and family history are also part of the assessment.
What is a Bypass Surgery?
A bypass surgery helps the surgeon to replace the damaged arteries, which are the pipeline for supplying blood to the heart muscles. The operation includes replacement of the damaged artery using blood vessels taken from another area of the body, in this case, the thigh region. Attending to the situation at the earliest is necessary to ensure that the heart receives oxygenated blood continuously. When there is a restriction to the flow of the blood, the heart functions abnormally and can lead to heart failure.
Types of Bypass Surgery
Depending on the extent to which the damage occurs, the surgeon suggests:
Single bypass – blockage happens to an individual artery.
Double bypass – blockage occurs in two arteries.
Triple bypass – blockage occurs in three arteries.
Quadruple bypass – blockage occurs in four arteries.
How Long Can You Live With A Triple Bypass?
Performing a triple bypass is rare. It is common that surgeons attend to a more significant category of single bypass surgery across the globe. Performing a double bypass requires when the patient fails to comply with the post-operation recovery instructions. It is necessary to make lifestyle changes along with diet to ensure that the single bypass surgery provides the needed relief and recovery from the damaged arteries.
In certain circumstances, the patient requires a double bypass, as they failed to show a positive response after the single bypass surgery. The reason could be due to the age of the patient and prevailing health conditions. Although the surgeon considers all the aspects before taking up the operation, attending to the situation could be because of an emergency. It is in rare cases that a patient undergoes triple bypass or quadruple bypass.
Living with a triple bypass is equivalent to that of single bypass surgery. The duration of the recovery increases because of the additional operation. Additionally, it is crucial that the patient makes immediate changes to the lifestyle and strictly adheres to the instructions given by the therapist and dietician. Participating in rehabilitation program also helps in improving the condition. These programs aim at creating awareness about well-being, offer steps that encourage the patient to make changes to the lifestyle, and receive enough physical exercise that allows the heart to function normally.
When the participant systematically undergoes all these, the chances of living after a triple bypass is similar to that of those who do not have surgery and belong to the same age group. On an average, a patient who received a triple bypass sees a life extension by five odd years. The inclusion of exercises, lifestyle changes, and diet allow the patient to add a few more years to the number. Furthermore, making the changes helps in leading a healthy life with a positive attitude. A strong mentality is necessary for such patients to live healthily and happily.
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