Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : September 26, 2016 11:58 AM IST
After you have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), your doctor will either recommend surgery or ask you to opt for medications to improve your condition. The treatment of CAD usually starts with lifestyle modifications and medications which help in improving blood flow to the heart. If the initial treatment approach fails to show any improvement in the symptoms of CAD or if the narrowing of the artery severely hinders the blood flow to the heart, then your doctor might consider going in for a surgical process. Our expert Dr Nilesh Gautam, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Head of Department of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at the Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai explains about treatment options available for coronary artery disease.
Angioplasty, coronary artery stent, drug-eluting stent and bioabsorbable vascular scaffold are the types of minimally invasive surgical options for CAD. However, in some cases, depending on the medical history and the percentage and number of blocked arteries, your doctor might recommend bypass surgery. Earlier, veins from the leg were used to redirect blood flow, but now, arteries from the arm and chest are used to redirect blood flow to the heart.
Angioplasty: In this, a small balloon is inflated within the narrowed, blocked artery. This pushes the plaque against the arterial walls thereby improving the blood flow. Click on the link to know more about angioplasty indications, procedure and risks.
Coronary artery stent or metallic stent: This involves a metallic mesh tube that is delivered on an angiography balloon to the blocked artery. Unlike balloon angioplasty, this procedure permanently supports the artery walls and prevents the arteries from getting back to the normal state.
Drug-eluting stent: This procedure involves a metallic stent, which is coated with medication. This is to prevent the overgrowth of the arterial lining which can occur as a reaction to stent implantation. The stent is permanently implanted in the artery.
Bio-absorbable vascular stents: Also known as a bio-absorbable vascular scaffold, it uses non-metallic mesh tube which is delivered to the artery through balloon angioplasty. It is similar to a stent, but the material starts dissolving slowly as soon as the blocked artery starts to function on its own. Read more about bioabsorbable stents the future of angioplasty.
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