Patients who are to undergo CABG ( coronary artery bypass grafting ) routinely stop low-dose Aspirin therapy 7 to 10 days before the intervention.
A study suggests that it may be more beneficial to continue taking Aspirin until the surgery day.

Researchers, at Assuta Medical Center in Tel Aviv ( Israel ), studied 32 patients with coronary artery disease ( CAD ) about to have CABG.

Fourteen patients received Aspirin until the day of the intervention, and 18 patients stopped receiving Aspirin at least one week before.

The results showed that the patients who stopped Aspirin one day before the intervention had significantly improved oxygen levels with only a slight increase in bleeding.
This group had a significantly shorter ventilation period following the surgery, an average of 3.8 hours compared to 6.9 hours, as well as a significantly shorter stay in the ICU ( Intensive Care Unit ).

They also had significantly lower thromboxane A2 levels, 117 pg/mL compared with 1,306 pg/mL ( which can usually cause lung injury after this surgery ), and were significantly better in their oxygenation capability.

While these patients' operations were 24 minutes longer than the other patients, and the patients experienced slightly increased bleeding, none of the patients in the study required more transfusions, nor were there any deaths in either group.

Source: Chest, 2005


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