Coronary Artery Disease Treatment Options
Orange County’s Trusted Name in Coronary Artery Disease
Residents of Orange County with coronary artery disease have a powerful ally, right here in the neighborhood. At Hoag’s Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, our dedicated team of cardiovascular specialists stands ready to help patients diagnosed with heart conditions like coronary artery disease, heart attack, chronic total occlusion and more. As a high-volume center for cardiac treatment in Orange County, we’ve got the advanced tools, techniques and treatment options you need to come back strong.
Read on to learn more about how we treat coronary artery disease at Hoag.
What are the Treatment Options for Coronary Artery Disease?
There are a variety of treatments for coronary artery disease. Which treatment you might receive depends on several factors, including the type of coronary artery disease you have, the symptoms you are experiencing, your overall health, the degree and extent of blockage in your coronary arteries and other factors.
Options for non-surgical coronary artery disease treatment include:
Lifestyle Changes
Because lifestyle factors figure heavily in the development of coronary artery disease, it’s likely you’ll have to make modifications in your diet, exercise and life.
Lifestyle changes include:
- Quitting smoking
- Adopting a heart-healthy diet
- Getting regular exercise
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Managing stress
Medications
Medications to help control the symptoms of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other conditions that can contribute to coronary artery disease have advanced significantly in recent years, helping those with CAD live longer, healthier lives.
Medications to help treat coronary artery disease and the conditions that contribute to it may include:
- Antihypertensives to help lower blood pressure such as:
- ACE inhibitors
- Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
- Calcium channel blockers
- Beta blockers
- Cholesterol lowering medications to lower LDL cholesterol
- Weight loss medications
- Mental health medications to help patients reduce stress
Catheter-Delivered Procedures
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (also known as PCI and CTO-PCI): Percutaneous Coronary Intervention is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat narrow or blocked arteries and restore blood flow to the heart. Here is a high-level overview of the procedure:
- During the PCI procedure, an interventional cardiologist inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in the groin or wrist, then directs it through the body to the blocked coronary artery.
- Next, a procedure called a balloon angioplasty, a tiny balloon at the tip of the catheter is then inflated, widening the artery and opening the blocked or narrowed artery.
- Once the artery is open and blood flow is restored to the heart muscle, the interventional cardiologist then places a small mesh tube called a stent in the artery. This stent holds the artery open to prevent it from becoming blocked again in that place.
Other percutaneous coronary interventions include rotational or laser atherectomy. These advanced techniques involve the use of a revolving instrument or a laser to break up particularly tough blockages, or calcified plaque.
Need Orange County’s Experienced Cardiac Catheterization Team? Your Search Ends at Hoag.
Hoag is at the heart of innovation for advanced catheter-delivered treatments and patient-centered care for cardiac issues. Case in point: Hoag’s state of the art Allan & Sandy Fainbarg Electrophysiology Cath Lab Suite at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach. This 12,740 square-foot facility — the first of its kind in Orange County — is dedicated to being a comfortable, patient-centered hub for catheter-delivered cardiac diagnosis and care for a wide range of cardiac conditions, including coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation.
Surgical Options: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Also known as CABG Surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, a coronary artery bypass graft or just “bypass surgery,” Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG) is a form of open-heart surgery that uses “new” blood vessels taken from other parts of the body to route blood flow around a coronary artery blockage. During the procedure, cardiothoracic surgeons usually remove blood vessels from the leg, then surgically implant them in the heart, bypassing the narrowed or blocked coronary arteries entirely. CABG Surgery is helpful in cases in which patients have a complete blockage that can’t be cleared by other means.
Hoag is nationally rated for Heart Bypass Surgery. For 2023-2024, U.S. News & World Report named Hoag a High-Performing Hospital — their highest distinction — in Heart Bypass Surgery. Additionally, Hoag earned the highest distinction possible, a three-star rating out of three stars, from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Cardiac Rehabilitation
After a heart attack or diagnosis with coronary artery disease, many patients can benefit from a cardiac rehabilitation program. Cardiac rehab is a physician-supervised exercise program designed to help patients recover from cardiac episodes or cardiac surgery.
Cardiac rehab programs help patients return to heart health through carefully controlled physical activity, along with counseling and guidance in areas that can aid in cardiac recovery, including: eating a heart-healthy diet, taking medications as directed, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, strategies for reducing stress and improving mental health and managing other risk factors.
For Advanced Coronary Artery Disease Treatments, Orange County Chooses Hoag.
Coronary Artery Disease takes the lives of over 375,000 people in the U.S. every year. But every day, the experienced cardiovascular specialists at Hoag are focused on raising the bar for patient care, delivering a team-based approach that allows them to work collaboratively toward diagnosis and treatment options that improve outcomes and lead to a fuller recovery.
From next-generation treatments for high-risk heart failure to diagnosing chest pain and advanced clinical trials, Hoag has the experience, expertise and advanced technology that Orange County residents need.
Contact us through our online form.