Treatment Options for Coronary Artery Disease
If you’re suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD) in West Palm Beach, FL, proper treatment is vital. There are several potential treatment options for coronary artery disease, and a visit to your concierge cardiologist will help determine the ideal course of treatment. They will create a personalized treatment plan based on your medical history and lifestyle.
What Is Coronary Artery Disease?
Coronary artery disease, or ischemic heart disease, occurs when plaque buildup in the arteries creates blockage or narrowing. Buildup of plaque is gradual and results from an unhealthy diet, smoking, lack of physical activity, obesity, and other causes.
When plaque builds up to a certain point, it becomes difficult for blood to travel through the arteries to the heart. The heart’s supply of nutrients and oxygen is reduced, weakening it. This can cause a heart attack, along with symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain (angina) after light physical activity.
Coronary artery disease can be treated with medications, lifestyle changes, surgery, or a combination of these options.
Medications
You may be prescribed medications to address various aspects of coronary artery disease:
- Blood thinners can be used to decrease the chance of blood clots, which are a risk with coronary artery disease.
- Vasodilators, or nitrates, cause the heart’s arteries to dilate, reducing chest pain.
- ACE inhibitors reduce blood pressure by blocking hormones that narrow the blood vessels.
- Calcium channel blockers cause blood vessels to relax, allowing them to widen.
- Statins lower cholesterol levels, decreasing the rate at which plaque builds up.
- Beta-blockers reduce blood pressure and decrease heart rate.
Lifestyle Changes
A number of lifestyle changes can help with coronary artery disease, including cutting back on drinking and quitting smoking. Exercising more can make a major difference, as can dietary changes and losing weight.
These changes can reduce conditions like high cholesterol, obesity, high triglycerides, diabetes, and high blood pressure, all of which are risk factors for coronary artery disease.
Surgical Solutions
Coronary artery bypass grafting harvests a blood vessel from another part of the body (like the arm, leg, or chest) and uses it to bypass the blockage. One end of the blood vessel is connected to the aorta, and the other end is connected to the blocked artery (right before the blockage). This restores proper blood flow to the heart.
Percutaneous coronary intervention widens your narrowed or blocked artery, restoring blood flow. A catheter is maneuvered through the body’s network of blood vessels and into the targeted artery. A tiny balloon at the catheter’s tip is then inflated to widen the artery. A tube called a stent may then be placed inside the artery. This tube releases medication to prevent narrowing.
Arrange Your Consultation
For your custom-tailored plan for coronary artery disease treatment in West Palm Beach, FL, set up a consultation with Dr. Chauncey Crandall. Dr. Crandall's concierge cardiology approach ensures that patients at The Palm Beach Clinic receive the personalized care they need.