Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death, yet most people can prevent the disease or stop it from causing a heart attack. The experienced cardiologists at Advanced Heart Care Associates take a proactive approach. They screen patients for their risk of coronary artery disease, provide treatments to prevent or treat the condition, and perform advanced coronary interventions when needed to restore health. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Henderson, Nevada, or one of the two offices in Las Vegas, Nevada, or use the online booking feature today.
Coronary artery disease or CAD occurs when cholesterol attaches to the wall of an artery carrying blood to your heart. Over time, more fats, calcium, and other substances accumulate in the same area.
The accumulation, called atherosclerosis, gradually enlarges and hardens. As it gets larger, it narrows the artery and restricts blood flow. You have a heart attack when the plaque gets too large, or it ruptures and causes a blood clot that blocks the artery.
You won't have symptoms until the plaque blocks a substantial amount of the blood flow to your heart. And unfortunately, some people don't have symptoms until they have a heart attack.
When symptoms appear, you may have one or more of the following:
If a heart attack is your first sign of coronary artery disease, you may have the symptoms above, as well as:
You may also experience intense, unexplained anxiety.
Advanced Heart Care Associates offers comprehensive treatment for coronary artery disease that includes:
Lifestyle factors can prevent coronary artery disease and stop the condition from getting worse once it develops. Your lifestyle choices treat the conditions that contribute to coronary artery disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Your provider may need to prescribe one of many possible medications to treat your symptoms, prevent complications like blood clots, and manage conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol.
PCIs include several procedures that use a catheter and specialized tools to remove the plaque. Your provider inserts the catheter into a blood vessel and uses real-time imaging to guide it through the vessels and into the clogged artery.
The catheter may hold one of several devices to remove the plaque. To perform angioplasty and stenting, your provider deploys a balloon from the end of the catheter. Inflating the balloon pushes the plaque against the artery wall. Then they insert a stent that holds the artery open.
If the plaque is too hard for a balloon, your provider performs an atherectomy. That procedure restores circulation by cutting away the plaque.
To learn more about risk assessments for coronary artery disease or to schedule an appointment, call Advanced Heart Care Associates or use the online booking feature today.