AEMCA Practice Exam

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is specifically designed to improve blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked coronary arteries. During the procedure, a surgeon takes a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and uses it to create a new path for blood flow, effectively bypassing the obstruction caused by plaque buildup or other issues in the coronary arteries.

The focus of CABG is on treating coronary artery disease, which occurs when the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked. By restoring blood flow, CABG alleviates symptoms such as chest pain (angina) and reduces the risk of heart attacks.

Heart surgeries to repair valves, reduce heart size, or replace the aorta are entirely different procedures that serve different purposes within cardiac care. Therefore, the description of CABG as a heart surgery that bypasses blocked coronary arteries is the most accurate characterization of this important surgical intervention.