Tailored prevention after bypass reduces the future risk for coronary arteries

The “personalization” of the rehabilitation process after a by-pass (and not only) becomes a strategic weapon to reduce the risks of new attacks. Thanks to a “tailor-made” program, which aims to control cardiovascular risk factors on a case-by-case basis with a correct lifestyle, physical activity, healthy diet and drugs when necessary, it is possible to protect the coronary arteries from new obstructions that put them at risk the heart. The reduction in the risk of new episodes thanks to this strategy is extremely significant: the decrease in the incidence of new coronary episodes and consequent risk for the heart is 41%.

To prove this, data in hand, is an Italian research published on European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, conducted by the experts of the Monzino Cardiology Center. “People with coronary artery disease have a very high risk of recurrent cardiovascular events and each coronary artery recurrence further increases the likelihood of having another one – he explains. Pablo Werba, Head of the Monzino Atherosclerosis Prevention Unit and first author of the work. In practice, the greatest risk factor for a second coronary event is having already had one. For this reason, it is important for patients to be aware that treatment does not end with the revascularization procedure: on the contrary, prevention programs, defined as “secondary”, must be particularly intense and aim at correcting each of the various factors in the long term. modifiable risk and to facilitate adherence to therapies “.

The research examined subjects undergoing surgery to open “new avenues” to blood destined for the heart. “In the study we analyzed the recurrence frequency of coronary problems in 1248 subjects treated at Monzino with coronary artery bypass graft, 50% of whom participated in our secondary prevention program in addition to regular periodic cardiological visits – the expert continues. We have shown that by systematically and actively participating in a personalized secondary prevention program, the incidence of coronary recurrence in the 5 years following bypass surgery is reduced by 41% ”. The important thing, in any case, is that you follow a well-defined program capable of “targeting” the individual risk factors directly, starting from too high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol up to diabetes, overweight, hypertension and cigarette smoke.

In this sense, it is necessary to schedule the necessary regular diagnostic tests such as lipid, blood pressure and glycemic control and set up a specific drug therapy depending on the case, which must be followed carefully by ensuring the necessary adherence to treatment by the patient. This is a challenge, as is health education and a motivational intervention that persuades the patient to take care of their health. It is therefore necessary to be able to ensure the patient a rehabilitation that is truly “targeted” to his conditions because this approach must be studied and tailor-made, based on the patient’s conditions. And not just after a by-pass or cardiac surgery. Also and above all after a heart attack it is necessary to focus on well-defined paths, since the injury is never the same in different people, as well as its consequences.