Chest Tightness on the Treadmill: Mr. Mispriyadi’s Bypass Surgery Journey

Mr. Mispriyadi is from Jambi. Like other employees at his company, he regularly took part in a medical check-up held once a year. It was through this routine check-up that coronary heart disease was first detected in him, which eventually led him to have bypass surgery at Heartology.

It Started with a Treadmill Test

One of the tests in the check-up was a treadmill test, an ECG recording taken while walking on a treadmill that gradually gets faster, to see how the heart responds to exertion. After about eight minutes, Mr. Mispriyadi felt tightness in his chest. "After eight minutes on the treadmill, my chest felt tight, and they found coronary heart disease," he said.

Coronary heart disease occurs when the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked by plaque. To confirm his condition, Mr. Mispriyadi had further tests: a cardiac CT scan, an imaging test to look at the heart and coronary vessels, followed by cardiac catheterization, in which a thin tube is passed through a blood vessel to view the coronary arteries directly.

Advised to Have a Bypass

The catheterization showed severe blockage, which Mr. Mispriyadi described as up to around 90 percent. Blockages were also found at many points. If treated with stents, he would have needed about nine of them. "So I was advised to have a bypass, or CABG," he said.

CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting), or heart bypass surgery, uses a blood vessel taken from another part of the body, usually the chest, leg or arm, to create a detour around coronary arteries that are narrowed or blocked. With this detour, blood can flow to the heart muscle again.

Surgery at Heartology

Mr. Mispriyadi then had bypass surgery at Heartology. He was cared for by Heartology's cardiothoracic and vascular surgery team together with Dr. med. dr. Denio A. Ridjab, Sp.JP (K) and other doctors, and he expressed his thanks to the doctors who treated him.

During his stay, he found the service satisfying. "The service and care at Heartology were very good, satisfying and comfortable too," he said.

From his experience, Mr. Mispriyadi wants to remind others to pay more attention to their lifestyle. Pointing to his own bypass as a reminder, he advises you to watch your diet, exercise regularly and not smoke heavily. He also experienced first-hand how a routine check-up helps: his chest tightness appeared and was recorded during the test, so further tests and treatment could be planned.