Establishment of a secondary prevention program for coronary bypass patients

To treat atherosclerosis systemically in the surgical patient, proper drug therapy and risk factor modification are necessary. A secondary prevention program for coronary bypass patients was established at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine for that purpose. Modifiable risk factors, such as hypercholesterolemia and hypertension, are identified preoperatively, and therapy is initiated postoperatively, with follow-up in the Risk Reduction Clinic at 3 and 6 months. Treatment is designed to achieve defined goals in secondary prevention.