Procedure prep
Fasting Before Heart Bypass Surgery (CABG)
Coronary artery bypass (CABG) is major open-heart surgery under general anesthesia, with a planned recovery in intensive care. Most of the detailed preparation is led closely by your cardiac team — this covers the essentials and the right questions to ask.
Fasting for this procedure
→ Get your exact fasting times with the calculator
Medicines to check
- Aspirin is often continued for bypass surgery, but other antiplatelets (clopidogrel, ticagrelor, prasugrel) are usually stopped several days before to reduce bleeding. Follow the exact days your team gives you. See medications to stop.
- Warfarin and DOACs (Eliquis, Xarelto) are stopped on a planned schedule, sometimes with bridging — your team will manage this.
- Beta-blockers and statins are usually continued; ACE inhibitors/ARBs may be adjusted — confirm each.
- Diabetes medicines & insulin need a careful plan. See diabetes tablets.
When this surgery may be delayed
- Fever or any active infection, including dental or skin infections (these are cleared first)
- A new cough/cold or chest infection
- Poor blood-sugar control (your team will optimise this)
- Recent doses of antiplatelets that raise bleeding risk
- You ate or drank outside the instructions you were given
Reports & documents to carry
- Photo ID and your insurance or hospital paperwork
- A current list of all your medicines, doses, and allergies
- Your angiogram, echo, blood tests and any other cardiac investigations
- A packed bag for a longer hospital and intensive-care stay
- Arrangements for help at home during a longer recovery
What to ask your anesthesia team
- Exactly which of my blood thinners do I stop, and on which days?
- Which heart and blood-pressure tablets do I take the morning of surgery?
- How long will I be in intensive care and in hospital overall?
- What will recovery at home look like, and when can I drive and return to work?
- Is there anything I should do now (dental check, stopping smoking) to prepare?
Your prep checklist
Tick things off as you sort them — saved on this device only, nothing is sent anywhere.
A general guide — your hospital's own instructions always come first.
Frequently asked questions
Which blood thinners stop before bypass surgery, and which continue?
It's nuanced: aspirin is frequently continued for bypass surgery, while stronger antiplatelets such as clopidogrel, ticagrelor or prasugrel are usually stopped several days beforehand to limit bleeding. Warfarin and DOACs are stopped on a planned schedule. Your cardiac team gives you a precise day-by-day plan — follow it exactly and don't improvise.
Why do they check my teeth before heart surgery?
Bacteria from dental infections can travel in the blood and settle on the heart or new grafts, so cardiac teams often want any significant dental problems treated before surgery. A dental check beforehand can prevent a delay or a later complication.
Will I wake up in intensive care after a bypass?
Yes — that's planned and normal. After open-heart surgery you recover in intensive care or a high-dependency unit so your heart, breathing and fluids can be closely monitored, often with a breathing tube for a short while as you wake. It can look daunting for visitors, but it's a routine, expected part of recovery.