Researching Heart Disease

Government Agencies

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has a branch called the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.  This department provides information to both the public and health professionals on diseases and research affecting the heart, lung, and blood.

To search for information on bypass surgery, click the NHLBI link above, and then select “Heart and Vascular Diseases” under the Public side.  At the next page, select “Other Heart and Vascular Diseases”, then scroll down to select “Coronary Artery Disease” or “Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.”

Another government agency that provides useful and reputable information to the public is MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.  This is also a useful search engine for diseases and conditions.  Once on the website, type “Coronary Artery Disease” into the search engine.  In addition to providing information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, your search will also result in links to other reputable sources of information.

Institutes and Non-Profit Agencies

The Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center that is one of the premiere sources of medical information, especially heart-related diseases and conditions.  It is consistently ranked as one of the best US hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

To find information on coronary artery disease and bypass surgery, select the “Health Information” tab, click the letter “B”, and then click “Bypass Surgery.”  The website explains the bypass procedure, risks and complications associated with the procedure, and further references on the disease itself.  The site also has information on specific bypass procedures, such as “Arterial Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts” and “Minimally Invasive Bypass Surgery.”

The Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice with a website operated by their physicians and researchers.  Their search engine provides information on many diseases and medical procedures, including a wealth of information on coronary artery disease.

The Minneapolis Heart Institute is internationally recognized as a leader in cardiovascular care, and its companion organization, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, is a nonprofit committed to research.  The hospital website provides detailed information on coronary bypass surgery.  The research institute focuses on heart issues, and includes stem cell technology research.  In fact, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation is one of five institutions that has been designated a “Cardiovascular Stem Cell Research Center” by the National Institute of Health.

Search Engines

The American Academy of Family Physicians is a national association of family doctors.  They operate a website, familydoctor.org, which provides general health education to the public.  Typing “Coronary Artery Disease” into the search engine will provide videos and articles on surgical procedures, myths, and an overview of the disease