What if I need heart surgery?
Answer: Bypass surgery or balloon angioplasty will improve the blood supply to the heart, but it does not mean you can ignore your cholesterol level or the other CHD risk factors. Even though surgery restores blood flow in the heart, poor life habits will clog your new arteries even faster than they clogged your old ones. So pay attention to your risk factors especially after surgery. Trying to lower LDL- cholesterol to less than 100 mg/dL is an important goal for CHD patients. Many patients who have bypass surgery or balloon angioplasty have not actually had a heart attack. Cholesterol-lowering treatment in these patients is very important to lessen the chances of a future heart attack.
