What is a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft? These Adorable Kids Have That Answer and Others in a New Video Series
The American Heart Association has published a series of videos on YouTube that put complicated heart procedures and ailments into laymen’s terms…as explained by children. These creative videos put a unique spin on a topic that is sometimes difficult to discuss.
The video series, Kidz Explain, was created to spell out everything you need to know about heart disease and stroke. Despite the simple language, the kids’ explanations are intended for everyone, not just other children. With these cute and informative videos, the American Heart Association aims to create a conversation about good heart health and make it easier to understand heart disease and stroke. The hope is that if kids can understand the facts, people of all ages will too.
Still wondering what exactly a coronary artery bypass graft is? It is a surgical procedure that boosts blood flow to the heart. This type of surgical treatment is commonly used to treat individuals with coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease refers to a condition when waxy plaque accumulates inside the coronary arteries that deliver blood to the heart. This plaque can eventually harden or break open. Hardened plaque can cause narrowing of the arteries, which can result in limited blood flow to the heart and chest discomfort called angina. Ruptured plaque can also restrict blood flow through the coronary arteries, either by eventually hardening over time or forming a blood clot that blocks the passageway (one of the major causes of heart attacks).
A coronary artery bypass graft can treat coronary heart disease by connecting a healthy artery or vein from another part of the body to the blocked coronary artery. The connected, or grafted, artery bypasses the blocked section of the coronary artery and provides a new channel for blood to reach the heart.
If your physician has recommended heart surgery to treat your coronary heart disease, contact Cardiovascular Surgery of Southern Nevada at (702) 737-3808 to speak to a board certified surgeon today.
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