Blood volume after coronary artery bypass grafting

Summary. Patients with stable angina pectoris are reported to have a markedly reduced blood volume (BV). In the present study, average BV was still 19% less than that predicted in 77 men examined 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting. Beneficial effects of the operation such as relieved angina, absence of medication, complete revascularization status at repeat angiography, and restored physical fitness were not found to be associated with a normalization of the BV. No significant correlation was found between BV and body weight, heart volume, exercise capacity, ejection fraction or left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The reduced BV in patients with angina pectoris after successful revascularization and the absence of correlation with physiological variables indicate a persisting disturbed regulation mechanism.