I had a quadruple bypass in 2017. I have read that following a bypass things are generally okay for the next 8 to 10 years after which a potential decline in life expectancy occurs.
I wondered if there is a test, short of an angiogram, which might indicate how my arteries are doing at present?
Hi, hope you are well. I don't know if there is a test to tell apart from angiogram and ct/ mri scans if they are offered. Have you had any follow ups with cardiology or vascular departments of the hospital you are under? I'm only learning about it all myself at the moment. Sorry I can't be of any further help to you.
I did have some bypass follow ups in the early days but nothing recently.I have though recently discovered that my bad cholesterol is a bit high (although my total cholesterol is okay) and this has perhaps exacerbated my concern.
Thank you for replying.
That's understandable, perhaps discussing your concerns with your gp may be able to get further tests but as BeKind28- said with not being symptomatic, I can't see the NHS offering anything all you can do is try. Hope everything will be ok though 🤞 and may I ask are you still taking a "Statin"? eg Atorvastatin, as depending what dosage you are presently taking, could be increased or even changed
Yes I am on 80mg of Atorvastatin which is the highest level available as I understand it.This is as bit depressing as I would have expected the highest dosage to have done the trick.
There are different Statins I've found out, I used to think there were just 2 until I joined this community. And other options for lowering cholesterol. 
Statins will not fix CAD, but they can potentially slow its progress. If you are not having symptoms then that's a positive sign. All we can realistically do is stay healthy and keep cholesterol and weight under control. I have often wished to have an angiogram every year but I know that's not realistic.
I had a quad bypass in 2015, I was having very bad reactions to Statins so my GP referred me to my Lipid clinic and after consultation I was offered an alternative cholesterol reducing solution called Evolocumab (Repatha) which is a fortnightly injection and has reduced my cholesterol considerably. If you are sceptical about it there is much information about it on the net (YouTube).
I seem to be okay with the Statin I'm on from a side effect perspective but my bad cholesterol is still too high apparently at 2.79.I will look into the injection option and also keep trying to get my diet right along with perhaps a bit more exercise.Thank you for the info.
Ask drs if they will do a chokesterol size particle test called nmr itd be interestingbto see how many big fluffy LDL you have versus those small dense type
Hello
I have had Bypasses done just a couple of years ago
My Dad had them when he was in his 50's and his were still going strong at 77 it was something else that took him so I do not think they ever know to be honest but if you have been looking after yourself keeping up with meds and have no changing symptoms I would see that everything is ok
They may be able to do a CT scan to get one on the NHS though I am sure you would have to have symptoms that would enable your Doctor to refer you otherwise you could go private if you really wanted to know how your arteries are doing
Others hopefully will know more and come and reply but I hope you are keeping well x
My Dad had a bypass too like me in his early 60's and he will be 96 this year, so i live in hope that I can follow his example. Thank you for replying.
Hello
Well he is a very good example how long they can last brilliant news and I to hope you take after your Dad you did needing Bypasses so let's hope the same will be when it comes to age to x
That is wonderful!
My father had a triple bypass age 69 and lived until he was 97. When he passed away (from pneumonia), he was only taking an Asprin.
He had stopped all of his post-bypass medicines when aged around 90, because he was becoming frail and light weight by this age and his GP had never altered his mg intake dose over the previous 20 years and some of these medicines began causing some issues. He said he had never felt so good after stopping them, except for the daily Asprin.
I do sometimes wonder how I would feel if I stopped all my meds. I won't at the moment but I can understand your amazing Dad doing so.
Dad didn’t stop taking them all at once….I should have made that clear. He stopped one at a time after cutting them in half and then cutting back the weekly intake. It can be dangerous to quit cold turkey because the body would no doubt receive a shock after been on some of these for so long.
Every now and again husband gets side effects from his BP medicine. He knows when he needs to take a break from them . He cuts them in half or misses a day and then goes back to his regular dosage. However, he does monitor his BP daily though.
T57
hi, I had a double bypass 22years ago and recently completed the Bruce protocol stress test which involves walking on a treadmill at different levels for 9 minutes, pleased to say no red flags showed up. This test gives a very good idea of how your heart is functioning, hope this helps.
Thanks, that's interesting, I will ask the surgery if I might be eligible.
A Bruce stress test is non invasive and tells how well your heart is functioning.
What exactly is that please?
It’s a test where they attach 14 electrodes to a heart monitor and measure your heart’s response to exercise by putting you on either a treadmill or exercise bike and increase the workload until you either can’t do any more or the cardiologist wants you to stop. Examples are on YouTube
Thank you. I should have guessed it was that being a “stress test.” Haven’t got that far yet! Hope you are keeping well. 👍
Hi there,I had a double heart bypass in 2014 ,and I run upto 60-80k every week,I went to see a private cardiologist and he thinks that it would be prudent to have a look at my coronary arteries in the next 3 years using an angiogram,I also had a dobutamine stress echo,last April ,and his words were there no need to check your arteries if the engine is good,in other words,he could see my heart preformed well under load,although Ive got stage 1 av heart block and suffer bradycardia since heart bypass ,but these cause pacing issues
It might be worth the £200 quid fee to see a private Cardiologist just for a chat if nothing else.
Hi ....I had a double by pass in 1999, I went for a stress MRI scan on the 2nd of Feb still waiting for the results. Will let you know how it goes.
25 years ago? 😂
Thank you.
Have you made changes to your nutrition /lifestyle since surgery (2017) and adhered to it ? I made a couple of tweaks and my BP, cholesterol, EF , ECG stats are really good . I’m only 6 months post Nstemi & quadruple bypass. What’s your blood pressure readings at the moment? Why not contact the BHF nurses to chat it through , I’m sure they would be able to advise on a way forward if you are concerned Sir Beatalot👍🏻
I have made changes to my nutrition. I have skimmed milk, porridge, walnuts, 1 square of dark chocolate per day, mackerel or soup for lunch, chicken with new potatoes and veg.
I do occasionally stray from this however and it is a constant struggle, particularly on holiday or going out for a meal.
I have lost around 3 stone since my bypass, weighing around 12 stone 4 pounds.
My blood pressure is about 125/80.
I might call the BHF Nurse, that's a good idea 💡
This is interesting, my father had a triple bypass end of 2021 following a heart attack. He only had about 3 months of feeling good before fatigue set in & the breathlessness never improved infact has gradually got worse & worse. He’s at the stage now where he is constantly so tired & gets so out of breath just walking upstairs. Has been to the doctors numerous times & all they have done is an ecg which apparently was fine & multiple checks on his lungs which again are ok. Has another appointment next week to ask for his meds to be accessed as we have become aware that bisoprolol can cause these symptoms, which he takes twice daily plus other medications, but will be pushing for tests to see how the arteries are doing too. He’s 75 now & his quality of life since that op has been very poor when he should be thriving.
Hello LeggygemI had HA in May 20 and amongst mens I was put on was bisoprolol.
I already had a low heart rate due to sporting past but the biso lowered it into the high 30s , I could hardly function and had to come off it . Check your dad's heart rate and seek medical advice if it's low.
Good luck.
Hi Leggyem,
My father aged 93 at the time, was given Bisoprolol for 3 weeks following a fall when he was admitted to hospital. He couldn’t breathe. His mouth was open to get air and he was rapidly declining. I took a look at his records at the bottom of his hospital bed to find out what he was being given. On learning about the effects that bisoprolol can have, I had a discussion with the hospital doctor as to why he had been prescribed them when all he was on was an Asprin. She (Dr) told me he needed them. I told her he didn’t and she had to stop giving them to him. She said to me…” If your father dies because you have prevented him having the medicine I have prescribed you will be responsible for his death)! I replied “No, I will hold you responsible”.
She then asked my father (who could hardly speak at this point trough lack of breath), who he would rather trust, her, a doctor, or his daughter. He pointed at me at the end of the bed and said “daughter”. Dad knew that I knew everything about his condition, his health, his naturally low blood pressure, etc, because I had cared for him for years. This hospital doctor knew nothing about his health history. Since he had naturally low BP, by taking Bisoprolol it lowered it even further to the point that he couldn’t function.
I got him out of the facility the next day, told him I would sleep on the hospital floor that night in case they tried to force a pill into him. He indicated to me if they did he would pretend to swallow and then put it in his pajama pocket after they’d left.
36 hours later after getting him home he was a totally different man and back to his normal self, bar a scar on his head from the fall he’d taken which put him in the hospital in the first place. It was like night and day. The following week he was gardening! What a difference.
Incidentaly, following an inspector’s visit, the hospital was shut down less than 4 weeks later because the inspectors determined that the staff were ill trained. How can a doctor be so ill trained as to push a serious medicine like Bisoprolol on to a frail 93 year old without knowing their medical history is beyond my comprehension, unless they had some other motive. It makes me very concerned, particularly since we are all so very different. Dad lived until he was 97 only taking an Asprin and died of Pneumonia.
It always pays to check up on the medicines given and read about their side effects. Wishing your father all the very best and I hope that he recovers quickly.
Best wishes, T57
I am on Bisoporol 1.25 mg which is a low dose but then I already have low heart rate.I hope your father can find the answer.
A Cardiologist told me that people who have had a bypass obtain better outcomes if they take Bisoporol. I am on1.25mg, even though I already have a fairly low heart rate.Hope your father feels better soon.
Check his vitamin b12 level vitamin d level and get him so e vitamin b1 or some benfotimine ...make sure hes bor anemia
my father-in-law had a triple bypass when he was 64 and lived till he was 98 without further interventional treatment - I think that’s a pretty good runnings. Best wishes.
That’s wonderful and so encouraging for us hearties. Thanks
Very good!
My surgeon told me that I shouldn't need further intervention for 25 years. I was 65 when he told me and 66 when I had the op, so I can live with that. Keeping positive and active is the key, but I can still moan about arthritis getting a hold. Thankfully it's a slow process!
The problem with post op monitoring is that it is very basic. The NHS is reactive, not proactive, so getting such checks as an angiogram or an MRI scan is a near impossibility.
I was told similar, had 4xCABG July 25th 2023 following Nstemi, agrd 61. Was told to keep my new pipes clear 👍🏻🤣.. luckily no damage to my heart 🙌🏻. Definitely keeping positive. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Just to clarify, for people reading down this thread, I had two arterial grafts on my left side to bypass partially blocked vessels and a venous graft on the right side which had been stented at the time of my heart attack. Apparently venous grafts have to "learn to be arteries" - my surgeon's words, not mine. The artery was taken from my left arm.... it's good fun watching a nurse trying to take my pulse on that side. The scar is a big clue, but never seems to be noticed. 😂
Thankfully I too had no damage to my heart apart from minimal scaring on an internal wall which took 15 minutes of searching using ultrasound to find. I keep fit by being active and enjoy hill walking. Getting out in the fresh air is an important part of keeping positive.
Hello, I had a quadruple and a replacement heart valve, Nov'21. The surgeon requested a scan. I think it was an ultra scan. All my paper work is in a box. I wonder if an ECG would do it. C
I had a CABG x 4 in 2017 and the 3 venous grafts had failed by June of last year resulting in my having to rush to get 6 stents. So it’s case by case.
Hope things are okay now.
Yes thanks - so far! My cardiologist told me venous grafts (from my lower leg) are prone to failure as they can’t take the pressure in the way that an artery can. So I was probably unlucky.
AFter my heart attack 5 years ago I was called in for a second angiogram because they had seen two blockages in my LAD and didn't know how bad they were. They turned out to be 64% blocked but with blood flowing freely so I didn't get more stents. Now I'm left wondering whether they've got any worse, especially as I get very breathless. My GP has written to cardio asking whether they can do a CT scan instead of another angiogram to check on the blockages. My cholesterol is fine but the worry is always there. I really don't want another invasive angiogram. I had an echo early last year and had assumed that would show any problem but only just discovered that an echo only checks the heart muscle, not the arteries
Watch the documentary movie called, “Forks Over Knives”. Some people have blocked arteries within 1-2 months following bypass surgery. Other go for 3-4 decades workout a problem. It usually depends on their diet, exercise, stress and lifestyle. Diet is the most important.
Yes I will watch it, thanks.My diet has improved from how it was pre op but no doubt it could be even better.
That’s good. Those type of movies are very motivating and helpful in keeping us focused. I think pasture raised poultry and eggs are also good in moderation. I also buy wild idea ground grass fed grass finished buffalo and eat it in moderation but i mostly eat plant based.
I'd say diet is equally important as medication and maybe less so than genetics. The one thing about statins is that they will cut cholesterol much more efficiently than diet.
Read about recent findings related to low cholesterols inverse relationship to prevention of heart attacks. Studies show that statins only benefit is anti Islander l inflammatory, anti blood clot. Watch “cardiologist on the overprescribing of statins” on the powerfulJRE show on YouTube. Framingham study turned out to be inaccurate in its claims. Very low cholesterol is not a good thing.
Diet odd more important than any other factor, and it’s the one that we all control with our actions.
I had a quad bypass in 1996 and at the time I got the impression that it would give me four or five years life expectancy. But here I am 28 years later and still going strong. I had an angiogram about 10 years ago and they told me three of the four grafts were fine. The fourth was partially blocked, but they suspected it had probably been like that since I had the bypass op. I take the statins and BP medication regularly and try to keep fit and enjoy a sensible diet.
Great to here that.My Dad had a triple bypass a couple of years before you and he will be 96 this year.
Did you have symptoms that prompted the angiogram?
I don't know if they're is a test. I had 6 stents put in. That was in 2018.
Artery block
Unstable Angina and blocked arterie 
Left main coronary artery block and disease of small blood vessels
I am having a drilling of the artery as it is blocked. What can I expect please?
