It seems more and more people are diagnosed with some form of heart disease every year. Doctors and media across the country are encouraging people to manage their heart health in order to prevent future complications. But what they aren't discussing is what could happen once you do experience heart problems such as a blocked artery.

Artery blockage can occur when fat or other substances such as inflammatory cells, proteins and calcium start sticking to the inside of the vessel walls. The fat and other substances combine to form a material called plaque which narrows the flow of blood in the artery.

Once an artery is blocked, you can experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, irregular heartbeat, weakness, dizziness or sweating. If you experience any of these symptoms you should see a doctor.

You and your doctor can consider whether coronary bypass surgery or another artery-opening procedure, such as angioplasty or stenting, is right for you. The interventional cardiologists from Heart Clinics Northwest and the surgeons at Northwest Heart and Lung work together to come up with the best solution for each patient.

"Our patients have the advantage of working with a multidisciplinary team for their revascularization," said Robert Burnett, M.D. with Northwest Heart and Lung. "We work together to provide the best treatment plan for each patient."

Coronary bypass surgery doesn't cure the underlying heart disease that caused blockages in the first place. Even if you have coronary bypass surgery, lifestyle changes are still a necessary part of treatment after surgery. Medications are routine after coronary bypass surgery to lower your blood cholesterol, reduce the risk of developing a blood clot and help your heart function as efficiently as possible.

During heart bypass surgery, a blood vessel is removed or redirected from one area of the body so blood can flow around the blocked area or areas, thereby restoring blood flow to the heart. These substitute blood vessels can come from your chest, legs or arms. They're safe to use because there are other pathways that take blood to and from those tissues.

Recovery from surgery takes time. You may not see the full benefits of your surgery for 3-6 months. In most people who have heart bypass surgery, the grafts stay open and work well for many years.

Many patients may need to consider making lifestyle changes after having bypass surgery.

"Risk factor modification is extremely important," Burnett said. "Whether it's bypass, balloon or stent, patients who are aggressive with risk factor modification do much better in the long run."

Risk factor modification can include:

• Not smoking

• Eating a heart-healthy diet

• Getting regular exercise

• Treating high blood pressure

• Controlling high blood sugar (if you have diabetes) and high cholesterol

You may be more likely to have problems with your blood vessels if you have kidney disease or continue to smoke.

Dr. Burnett and the staff of Northwest Heart and Lung and Heart Clinics Northwest care for patients in our area. For more information on managing your heart health, contact Northwest Heart and Lung at (208) 666-2552 or Heart Clinics Northwest at (800) 235-3690.