Treatments :

Coronary Artery Disease Management

Managing Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease is the most common heart disease, affecting over 20 million adults in America. The coronary arteries are major blood vessels that sit on top of the heart and provide blood supply to the heart muscle. When these arteries are narrowed or blocked, the heart muscle is unable to receive enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients. This causes symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath. If left untreated, it can sometimes lead to congestive heart failure or a heart attack. Certain risk factors may play a role in the progression of coronary artery disease. Managing the following conditions can help slow the progression of coronary artery disease:

  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Obesity

Treatments for Coronary Artery Disease

Managing coronary artery disease starts with adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle. Treatment will often involve medication to alleviate symptoms and prevent the progression of plaque buildup, including: aspirin, beta blockers, cholesterol drugs, calcium channel blockers, blood pressure-lowering medication, and nitroglycerin.

In severe cases, a minimally-invasive procedure or surgery may be necessary to treat severe blockages.

Coronary Stent Insertion: (also known as coronary angioplasty) is a minimally-invasive procedure in which we re-open your blocked artery with a small balloon to improve blood flow. Inserting a stent helps your artery stay open. We may use a stent that releases medication, which improves its functioning.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: is a major surgical procedure that involves using a blood vessel from another part of the body to create a new path for blood flow to your heart. This treatment is typically reserved for patients with multiple severely blocked arteries.

Recovery

The recovery period from treatment for coronary artery disease will vary based on the procedure. After coronary stent insertion, you should be able to resume normal activity after a week, excluding activities such as heavy lifting. Coronary bypass surgery is major surgery and will require a longer recovery time. Immediately following the surgery, you will spend time in the ICU unit so you can be monitored closely. You should be released from the hospital in 8 to 12 days.

Risks & Side Effects

With medications, side effects will vary depending on your individual tolerance for the prescription. Typically, the benefits outweigh the risks.

As with any surgical procedure, a coronary stent insertion has certain risks, including bleeding or infection at the insertion site, blood clots in the stent, or stroke. However, complications related to this procedure are low.

Bypass surgery is major surgery. As such, it comes with the greatest potential risk, which can include:

  • Bleeding
  • Heart attack
  • Infection
  • Delirium
  • Stroke

Am I a Candidate?

If you’ve had cardiac imaging or other procedures that have shown coronary artery disease, you may be a candidate for treatment. There are certain factors that put you at higher risk for developing heart disease, including:

  • Age
  • Gender (Male) 
  • Family history
  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Overweight or obesity
  • Lack of exercise
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Poor sleep

More on Coronary Artery Disease

Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease

Cardiac diagnostic tests are important tools in helping us determine if patients have heart disease and can include:

  • Electrocardiogram (EKG)
  • Echocardiogram
  • Stress Test
  • Nuclear Stress Test
  • CT Scan of the Heart
  • Cardiac Catheterization 
  • Angiogram

Lifestyle Changes for Coronary Disease Management

A heart-healthy lifestyle includes:

  • Maintaining a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
  • Limiting or avoiding saturated fats, salt, and sugar
  • Participating in regular exercise
  • Quitting smoking
  • Managing stress levels

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