Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) Practice Test

The procedure that involves grafting a blood vessel to bypass an occluded coronary artery is the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). This surgical intervention aims to restore adequate blood flow to the heart muscle when the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked due to conditions such as atherosclerosis. During CABG, a surgeon takes a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body, such as a leg or chest, and attaches it to the coronary artery, creating a new pathway for blood flow around the obstruction. This is crucial for preventing heart muscle damage and alleviating symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath, and significantly improving the quality of life for individuals with coronary artery disease.

In contrast, angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure that involves using a balloon catheter to widen narrowed coronary arteries but does not involve grafting. Valve replacement surgery pertains to repairing or replacing heart valves, which is unrelated to bypassing arteries. Pacemaker insertion involves placing a device to regulate the heart’s rhythm, also not related to bypassing occluded arteries. Understanding these differences highlights the specific role of CABG in treating coronary artery disease effectively.