The chances of survival after a heart surgery have certainly gone up in the recent years due to the medical advancement. Around 90 percent of the patients are seen to have a successful surgery and they get discharged from the hospital without any complications. It has also been noticed that patients with a heart surgery have an improved quality of life post surgery, when compared to patients with heart problems without the surgery.
There are several benefits of having a heart surgery in case of improper functioning of heart valves. They include-
Coronary Artery Disease: Heart surgeries are aimed to cure problems related to the heart and it’s damaged valves. It cures coronary heart disease thereby relieving patient from frequent chest pain.
Life Expectancy: Heart surgeries help in increasing the life expectancy of patients suffering from heart diseases.
Other symptoms: Once the main problem of the disease is fixed with the surgery, the associated symptoms like water retention in body parts, fatigue and chest murmur soon fade away.
Duration: The benefits of heart surgery last for around ten to 15 years which is pretty long term. In case of several blockages or leakages, the patient may have to go for another surgery post the time period.
Are There Any Risks Of Heart Surgery?
Heart surgery is a major form of surgery and like any major surgeries this too has its own set of complications and risks.
- Although rare, yet some patients do not survive a heart surgery which mostly happens if the patient has other health related complications. This fraction of patients constitute of one percent of the patients who undergo the surgery.
- During open heart surgery, the working of the heart and normal blood flow is interrupted so that the doctor can work on the damaged valves in order to repair them. Such interruption may patients susceptible to stroke during the surgery.
- Statistical reports show if proper care is not taken, the patient may have kidney failure due to various associated factors.
- Aged patients may have to go for another heart surgery in future in case of multiple damaged valves.
Despite the risks a surgery can be successful if done under expert supervision and proper after-care procedures are done according to the doctor’s recommendations.
Can a Heart Surgery Be Avoided If Lifestyle Changes Are Adopted?
The decision of surgery depends on the condition of the patient and the severity of the disease. Sometimes surgery has to be coupled with lifestyle changes for desired results and a quality life. Few lifestyle and food habits include-
Diet: In case of milder heart problems, the patients are seen to overcome them with proper diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Exercise: Regular exercise and also various relaxation techniques are seen to be helpful in reducing the symptoms of heart problems.
Low Fat Diet: A low fat diet is extremely important to reduce the incidence of chest pain. This occurs because consumption of high amount of fat leads to plaque formation in the blood vessels clogging them and increasing the chances of heart problems. The opposite occurs in low fat diet.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: While saturated and trans fat leads to plaque formation in the blood vessels, there are some good fats like omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for heart as it helps in stabilizing the cholesterol levels. They are also helpful in reducing the inflammation of the blood vessels.
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