Treating Heart and Vascular Diseases

Initiation of treatment can be as simple as a prescribed medicine or a change in lifestyle, while others may warrant a major procedure requiring surgeons to open a patients chest cavity to perform surgery directly on the heart.

Lying between the two extremes are various non-invasive and invasive procedures. Angioplasty is used to clear arteries of plaque, a buildup in the walls of the artery which is caused by high levels of cholesterol in the blood stream. A stent may also be inserted during angioplasty to help hold weakened artery walls open. Serious heart problems, including arteries too clogged to treat with angioplasty, or defective heart valves, are addressed through surgery.

Treatment options for heart and vascular patients include:

• drug therapy
• pacemekers/defibrillators
• rotoblator
• atherectomy
• angioplasty
• placement of coronary artery stents
• valve repair surgery
• valve replacement surgery
• coronary artery bypass (CABG)
• transmyocardial revascularization (TMR)
• carotid endarterectomy
• abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
• carotid stenting
• peripheral vascular surgery
• abdominal and thoracic vascular surgery
• off-pump coronary bypass surgery
• atrial fibrillation ablation surgery
• endovascular aortic aneurysm repari (EVAR)
• visceral and peripheral endovascular interventions
• percutaneous treatment for venous disease (DVY, thrombolysis, venous stenosis, varicose veins)

For your free 2007 Guide to Heart Healthy Living, which includes tips for living a healthier lifestyle, recipes, and much more, please call 540-536-5021.