Non-surgical treatments for coronary artery disease include the latest medications to ease symptoms and treat blocked arteries as well as non-surgical procedures such as angioplasty.
Medications
Medications can treat atherosclerosis (the accumulation of artery-blocking plaque) as well as acute conditions such as severe angina or heart attack.
For patients who have already suffered heart damage, medical therapies can also prevent additional deterioration of the heart muscle.
Non-Surgical Procedures
Non-surgical therapeutic procedures include:
- Balloon angioplasty, in which a catheter with a balloon tip is threaded into a blocked coronary artery; once in position, the balloon is inflated to open the artery
- Atherectomy, the physical removal of plaque from the arteries. The procedure uses one of two different types of devices, both developed by Duke faculty members
- Insertion of stents, which are tiny cage-like structures that help keep arteries open once they are treated with procedures such as angioplasty
Research Advantages
Duke cardiologistss are involved in testing the newest, most promising medications and non-surgical procedures, such as latest generations of stents and angioplasty. They use those proven to be most effective to help patients.
See the latest heart clinical trials for which Duke is seeking participants.
Physicians
Physicians offering this service include:
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Bashore, Thomas M.
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Crawford, Lawrence E.
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Gehrig, Thomas
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Granger, Christopher B.
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Harrington, Robert A.
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Harrison, J. Kevin
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Ohman, E. Magnus
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Povsic, Thomas J.
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Sketch, Michael H. Jr.
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Tcheng, James E.
Locations
This service is available at:
