Home / Critical illness cover / - Coronary artery by-pass surgery
Background information
Every year there are an estimated 280,000 heart attacks in the UK - that's one every 2 minutes.
Less than half of those who have a heart attack die within 28 days.
Coronary Heart Disease is the most common cause of premature death.
About 28,000 coronary artery by-pass grafts are carried out each year - a 5-fold increase since 1980.
The number of coronary angioplasties has also increased, with 14,000 now being carried out annually.
Around 2.6 million people are currently suffering from coronary heart disease.
(British Heart Foundation, 2002)
In 2000, over 120,000 people died from coronary heart disease. That's around 330 deaths every day.
(Office for National Statistics, 2001)
Studies have indicated that two-thirds of men suffering their first heart attack will survive for a minimum of 5 years.
( Munich Re, 2002)
Definition
The undergoing of open heart surgery on the advice of a Consultant Cardiologist to correct narrowing or blockage of one or more coronary arteries with by-pass grafts but excluding balloon angioplasty, laser relief or any other procedures.
What does this mean?
If one or more of the coronary arteries, which supply oxygenated blood to the heart, becomes obstructed by the build up of fatty deposits angina can result and can even cause a heart attack. A coronary by-pass operation involves inserting a short length of vein, usually taken from the leg, around the narrowed artery thus restoring an adequate supply of blood to the heart.
14 August 2007 16:50:19
UK sufferers of mental health illnesses, such as schizophrenia, dementia and Alzheimer's disease do not receive sufficient care, according to a new study.
The UK Inquiry into Mental Health and Wellbeing in Later Life estimated that more than 3.5 million older people are affected by mental health issues, but called the current level of care "inadequate in range, in quantity and in quality".
Dr June Crown, chairman of the inquiry, said that the NHS needed to install new measures to better help UK residents with schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, or other forms of dementia.
"Mental health problems in later life are not an inevitable part of ageing," she commented.
"They are often preventable and treatable, and action to improve the lives of older people who experience mental health difficulties is long overdue."
Chris Ball, chair of the Older People Subgroup of the Mental Health Network, commented on the report's recommendations, which include amelioration of housing and social services, greater leadership from the government and tackling age discrimination.
"It is vital that we tackle the issues of discrimination and stigma in mental health at all levels - both in the context of provision and in wider society," he said.
"The Mental Health Network will be working hard with members to make sure the work of the report is taken forward for the benefit of service users - especially in the areas of commissioning, care homes and acute hospitals."
10 June 2008 17:43:59
In addition to being life-threatening, smoking and obesity could cause permanent hearing damage, a new study has found.
The latest research, carried out at Antwerp University, showed that smokers and obese people had difficulty picking out high frequency sounds.
Those that had been exposed to very loud noises in the workplace were the worst affected, however.
Dr Erik Fransen, one of the lead researchers at Antwerp University, said: "The hearing loss is proportional to how much you smoke and your body mass index (BMI). It starts getting worse once you have smoked regularly for more than one year."
Unfortunately for those affected, Dr Fransen explained that "once the damage has been caused, there is no way to repair it".
Researchers believe that smoking can disrupt the flow of blood around the body which in turn restricts oxygen. This process, together with a build up of toxic waste, is thought to damage the ear.
11 January 2008 13:54:37
Fewer people will have their life insurance claims refused as a result of new rules implemented by the insurance industry's trade body.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) explained that the move marks a commitment to paying out on protection policies, even where people have not disclosed medical information - unless it was withheld deliberately.
Customers' failure to provide relevant medical information leads to thousands of critical illness, income protection and life insurance claims being rejected every year.
As a result of the new rules, according to the ABI, insurers will pay out a "fair sum, reflecting risk and premiums paid" in instances where information has inadvertently been withheld.
Stephen Haddrill, the ABI's director general, remarked: "Customers want to know that their insurance claim will always be assessed fairly and paid without fuss.
"The industry wants customers to be able to take out insurance with confidence."
Legal and General, a leading life insurance provider, responded to the news by reminding customers that those who are known to have withheld relevant information will still have their claims declined.
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