Advanced Cardiac Care in Action: Garrett’s Story

Garrett Couture had always been active but as he approached his 40s, he made a commitment to prioritize his health even more. The father of two and administrative dean at Shaker High School coaches youth lacrosse and football and runs long-distance races. He even set and accomplished a goal to run 1,000 miles in 2024. When he felt a tightness in his chest earlier this year and was easily winded walking across a parking lot a few days later, he knew something wasn’t right.

His wife encouraged him to seek medical care and after undergoing tests, he was admitted to Albany Medical Center.

“The plan was to keep me over the weekend for monitoring and to give me blood thinners, and to place a stent the following Monday,” Couture recalled. But doctors found multiple blockages that required open heart surgery.

“I was a walking time bomb.”

Cardiothoracic surgeon Saeed Tarabichi, MD, successfully treated Couture with an advanced surgical technique with long-term benefits: complete arterial revascularization.

In conventional bypass surgery, a combination of arterial and vein grafts is used to bypass blocked vessels. Complete arterial revascularization uses only arterial grafts, which tend to stay open longer and are associated with fewer repeat surgeries needed later in life and improved long-term survival rates.

“In Garrett’s case, our goal was not only to treat his heart attack, but to rebuild his circulation in a way that would serve him for decades to come,” Dr. Tarabichi said. “By using only arterial grafts, we gave him the most durable solution modern cardiac surgery can offer. This is an advanced surgical strategy we're proud to make available here in the Capital Region.”

It wasn’t until he recovered in the hospital that Couture learned of his family history of heart disease – something that had never been discussed before.

According to Dr. Tarabichi, family history plays a significant role in the risk of heart disease. “A patient can do everything else right and live a healthy lifestyle, but it’s hard to escape family history,” he said.

While Couture says the unexpected surgery was a roller coaster, he is grateful to his care team for what he calls “an incredible experience.”

“Dr. Tarabichi saved my life, and the nurses in the cardiac ICU treated me like I was their only patient. They talked me through every step and set my mind at ease. I can’t thank them enough,” he said.