CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) - Recovering from coronary artery bypass surgery

You will usually need to stay in hospital for around seven days after having a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), so medical staff can monitor your recovery closely.

During this time, you may be attached to various tubes, drips and drains that provide you with fluids and allow blood and urine to drain away. These will be removed as you get better.

It's likely you will feel some discomfort and grogginess after the procedure, but you will be given painkillers to help relieve any pain. You should tell your doctor or nurse if the pain increases or if you notice any excessive bleeding.

Recovery from a CABG procedure takes time and everyone recovers at slightly different speeds. Generally, you should be able to sit in a chair after one day, walk after three days and walk up and down stairs after five or six days.

Most people make a full recovery within 12 weeks of the operation. However, if you experience complications during or after the surgery, your recovery time is likely to be longer.

At home

To ease any soreness where the cuts were made, you may need to continue taking painkillers at home for a few weeks. Wearing loose, comfortable clothing that doesn't press on your wounds can also help.

For the first three to six weeks, you will probably feel tired a lot of the time. This is because your body is using a lot of energy to heal itself. By six weeks, you should be able to do most normal activities and by three months, you are likely to be fully recovered.

Caring for your wound

The metal wires holding your breastbone (sternum) together are permanent. However, the stitches closing your skin will gradually dissolve over the weeks following surgery as the skin heals.

While you are recovering in hospital, you will be told about how to care for your wounds at home. It's important to keep the wounds clean and protect them from the sun while they are healing.

You will have a scar where the surgeon cut down your chest, as well as where the grafted blood vessel (or vessels) was taken from. These will be red at first, but will gradually fade over time.

Activities

The team caring for you in hospital will also usually be able to advise you about any activities you need to avoid as you recover.

Generally, in the few days after you return home from hospital you can do light activities such as walking short distances, cooking, playing cards and board games, and lifting light objects.

After about six weeks, you may be well enough to do slightly more strenuous activities, such as driving, carrying children, carrying heavier objects (but not very heavy objects, such as bags of compost or cement), vacuuming, mowing the lawn and having sex.

How long you need off work varies from person to person. If you are recovering well and your job is not physically strenuous, you can usually go back to work in about six to eight weeks. However, you will normally need more time off if you experience any complications or your job involves a lot of standing and lifting.

While you are recovering, it's best to try to build up your activities gradually over time and make sure you take regular rests when you feel tired.

Side effects of surgery

After you have been discharged from hospital, you may experience some side effects as a result of the operation. These can include:

a loss of appetite
constipation
swelling or pins and needles where the blood vessel graft was removed
muscle or back pain
tiredness and difficulty sleeping
feeling upset and having mood swings

It is natural to feel a bit low after your bypass surgery. You will experience good and bad days, but it is important to remember your recovery will take weeks rather than days.

Side effects tend to disappear within four to six weeks after the operation. A full recovery may take a few months or longer, depending on your overall health before the procedure.

If you would like some extra support and advice while you recover, speak with your GP or contact the British Heart Foundation, who can provide you with details of local support groups.

When to seek medical advice

Contact your GP for advice as soon as possible if you experience any of the following problems:

severe or increasing pain in or around the wound
extreme shortness of breath
swelling around the wound
any pus coming from the wound
a high temperature (fever)
palpitations that make you feel dizzy or faint
excessive sweating

If you cannot contact your GP, call NHS 111 or contact your local out-of-hours service.

Cardiac rehabilitation

Many hospitals offer a programme called cardiac rehabilitation for people who have had heart surgery. This programme, which usually lasts at least six weeks, aims to help you recover from the procedure and get back to everyday life as quickly as possible.

While you are in hospital before and after your operation, a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team may speak to you about this. You may be invited to join a cardiac rehabilitation programme starting a few weeks after you leave hospital.

What happens in cardiac rehabilitation programmes can vary widely throughout the country, but most will cover areas such as exercise, education, relaxation and emotional support.

The British Heart Foundation has more information about cardiac rehabilitation.

Life after a coronary artery bypass graft

When you have fully recovered from your operation, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of developing further heart problems in the future. This includes:

stopping smoking if you smoke
eating a healthy diet
losing weight if you are overweight or obese
moderating your alcohol intake
exercising regularly

You should also continue to take any medications you have been prescribed.

See living with a coronary artery bypass graft for more information and advice.

Blood vessels: Blood vessels are the tubes in which blood travels to and from parts of the body. The three main types of blood vessels are veins, arteries and capillaries.
Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the body that lives in blood and tissue. It is used to make bile acid, hormones and vitamin D.
Heart: The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood around the body.
High blood pressure: Hypertension is when the pressure of the blood in your bloodstream is regularly above 140/90mmHG.
Incision: An incision is a cut made in the body with a surgical instrument during an operation.
Pain: Pain is an unpleasant physical or emotional feeling that your body produces as a warning sign that it has been damaged.