Secondary Prevention After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: 2026 Update: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Abstract

Coronary artery bypass grafting is a well-established, durable, and safe surgical intervention. However, coronary artery disease continues to progress after the procedure. Patients who have undergone bypass surgery present unique challenges in terms of secondary prevention resulting from the often severe and diffuse nature of their coronary disease, the complexities of their postoperative recovery, the burden of their comorbid conditions, and the importance of ensuring long-term graft patency and preventing further disease progression. New evidence and advances in secondary prevention strategies in the post–coronary bypass grafting population have emerged since the American Heart Association’s 2015 scientific statement on this topic. Secondary prevention strongly correlates with improved outcomes after bypass surgery, providing the rationale and urgency for this updated scientific statement to promote evidence-based practical considerations and to improve their use.