Heart Disease (cont.)
Medical Author:
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEMDr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Medical Editor:
Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI
Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAIDr. Kulick received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. He performed his residency in internal medicine at the Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship in the section of cardiology at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MDMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology. In this Article
 Heart catheterization or coronary angiographyThis test is the gold standard for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. A cardiologist inserts and then threads a small tube through the groin or arm into the coronary arteries, where dye is injected to directly visualize the arteries on an x-ray. This test defines the anatomy of the coronary arteries. At the time of the catheterization, if blockages are found, they may be potentially treated with angioplasty in which a balloon is inflated to squash the plaque into the blood vessel wall and the insertion of a stent (wire cage that prevents the blood vessel from narrowing again). CT coronary angiogram may be used test to diagnose coronary artery disease. During this procedure, intravenous dye containing iodine is injected into the patient and CT scanning is performed to image the coronary arteries. Prior to the angiogram, a calcium score may be obtained. The calcium CT scan can measure the amount of calcium within heart blood vessels. If the score is 0, meaning that there is no calcium present, the risk of having heart disease is zero. The higher the score, the increased risk of narrowed coronary arteries. What is the treatment for heart disease?Coronary artery disease is usually treated in a multi-step approach depending upon a patient's symptoms. The patient and healthcare provider need to work together to return the patient to a normal lifestyle. Prevention of heart disease
Comment on this
The key to the treatment is prevention. A healthy lifestyle includes exercise, proper nutrition, and smoking cessation. Moreover, controlling diabetes and high blood pressure to minimize contribution risk for heart disease is a major aspect of prevention. An aspirin a day is recommended to decrease the risk for heart disease and should be started with the recommendation of a health care practitioner. A little alcohol (one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men) decreases the risk of heart disease compared to nondrinkers. However, it is not recommended that nondrinkers begin drinking. Reviewed by Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI on 9/14/2011 Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
Heart Disease - Diagnosis
Question: Have you been diagnosed with a type of heart disease? If so, what was the diagnosis and treatment.
Heart Disease - Risk Factors
Question: What are/were your risk factors for developing heart disease?
Heart Disease - Symptoms
Question: Describe the symptoms associated with your heart disease.
Heart Disease - Tests
Question: Please describe the exams and tests you received that led to a diagnosis of heart disease.
Heart Disease - Prevention
Question: If you have or are at risk for heart disease, how do you try to prevent a heart attack?
Heart Disease - Medications
Question: What medications and/or supplements do you take to prevent heart disease?
Heart Disease - Angioplasty
Question: Please share your experience with angioplasty, stenting, or heart surgery.
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