When a person has a blockage in a heart artery, doctors usually consider two procedures - either a cardiac bypass to implant a new artery to do the work of the damaged one, or a less invasive angioplasty, which uses a kind of balloon to open the blocked artery.
A new study done at the University of Pennsylvania shows that the number of bypass operations dropped by 38 percent between 2001 and 2008. That's about three times the overall drop in invasive procedures.
However, the number of angioplasties remained about the same.
Dr. Peter Groeneveld, the study leader says the big drop in bypass operations isn't necessarily a good thing.
Dr. Groeneveld says, "Perhaps some patients who should be receiving CABGS (bypass operations) are not getting that particular procedure."
Angioplasty is less invasive, quicker for doctors to do, and carries less risk of side effects.
However, Dr. Groeneveld and his fellow researchers wonder if some patients wouldn't get longer term help from the open bypass.
They say this is something both doctors and patients need to consider.