Coronary artery disease, also known as coronary heart disease, is a medical condition that causes the smaller blood vessels that supply oxygen and blood to a patient’s heart to become narrowed. This condition may cause shortness of breath, chest pain and even heart attacks in some cases. Doctors typically recommend one or more types of coronary artery disease treatment for patients with this condition. Common forms of coronary artery disease treatment include changes in lifestyle and prescription medications. Some patients undergo surgical procedures to effectively treat coronary heart disease, especially in advanced cases of the disease.
Many physicians consider adjustments to a patient’s lifestyle to be an integral part of coronary artery disease treatment. Patients who smoke cigarettes can improve their cardiovascular heath in many cases by quitting smoking. Adjustments to a patient’s diet such as reductions in the intake of salt, cholesterol and saturated fats may reduce the size of arterial blockages in some individuals. In many instances, people who get regular exercise and maintain a healthy weight can improve their heart health. Diabetes patients often a have a higher risk of coronary artery disease problems, and they may reduce their heart-related risks in many cases by maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
Doctors often recommend the use of one or more medications as a vital form of coronary artery disease treatment. The management and treatment of coronary heart disease can include the control of high blood pressure in many cases. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta blockers and diuretic drugs, as well as calcium channel blockers, may be prescribed to many individuals who have high blood pressure. The risk of blood clots and arterial blockages is often managed with blood-thinning medications or daily aspirin therapy. Individuals with high cholesterol levels may take statin medications or fibrates to help them reduce their blood cholesterol levels and improve their heart health.
In cases where lifestyle changes and drug treatments do not sufficiently improve a patient’s heart heath, doctors often use surgery as a coronary artery disease treatment. A physician may perform a coronary angioplasty to insert a catheter in an obstructed artery in order to open the artery and improve blood flow. In some instances, a doctor may perform coronary artery bypass surgery to connect a portion of a vein that was removed from another part of the body to a coronary artery. A coronary bypass typically provides a new and more effective way to supply the heart with blood. Doctors generally advise patients to adopt healthy lifestyles, including healthy diets and regular exercise, after they recover from a surgical procedure that was done for coronary artery disease treatment.