GUIDELINES FOR BYPASS SURGERY ISSUED.

Joint task forces from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have recently been issuing guidelines on the indications for cardiovascular tests and procedures; one of these committees has taken on coronary-artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

According to the new guidelines, the decision to perform CABG must be based on symptoms, left ventricular function, and severity of coronary disease. For asymptomatic patients, the guidelines state that CABG is indicated only in the setting of important left-main disease or three- vessel disease that includes severe stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. The task force concludes that CABG is probably not indicated after uncomplicated Q-wave myocardial infarction. …