Cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease (CHD), lead the statistics for the most common diseases in western industrialized countries and are the most common cause of death in Germany.
Arteriosclerosis, which causes narrowing of the coronary arteries, is the main cause of CHD. To restore oxygen and nutrient supply to the heart, procedures such as aortic coronary bypass or cardiac catheterization are used.
For patients with 3-vessel coronary artery disease, the currently published European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS) guideline makes a clear recommendation (IA) for bypass surgery. It is equally considered a superior revascularization strategy when main stem stenosis is present. In principle, decision making between the patient, cardiac surgeon, and cardiologist should always be based on the recommendations of the interdisciplinary cardiac team.
Source: dpa Themendienst, Press release DGTHG, European guideline 2018 shows: Bypass treatment recommended for patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD), Dec. 21, 2018.
CARDIOVASC 2019; 18(1): 4
