Coronary artery disease occurs when blockages of the coronary arteries reduce or stop blood flow to the heart, which is damaged by the resulting lack of oxygen. It is the number-one cause of death among both men and women in the United States today.

At Duke Heart Center, each patient receives an individual care plan created by a team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and other physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, patient resource managers, and dieticians.

Treatment for coronary artery disease at Duke is provided by a team of physicians from the Divisions of Cardiology, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, and Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, as well as the Duke Heart Center.

We have pioneered national efforts to improve the quality of care through clinical research and use of patient registries.

Treatment Highlights

Duke cardiologists use the latest diagnostic tests to determine patients' risk for or status of heart disease and formulate appropriate treatment plans.

Some of treatment options include:

• Access to the latest nuclear medicine techniques and ultrasound imaging methods
• HeartCare, the first mobile catheterization program to be administered by an academic medical center, is linked to the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease. This program has performed 10,000 procedures throughout central North Carolina and southern Virginia.
• Opportunities for patients to participate in clinical trials of experimental drug and surgical therapies
• Medical and lifestyle therapies for patients who are at high risk for suffering from a heart disease
• One of the nation's largest and most experienced interventional cardiology (non-surgical) programs, with more than 1,700 interventional procedures performed each year
• One of the nation's largest and most experienced open-heart surgery programs, performing more than 1,300 operations each year.

Appointments

To make an appointment with a Duke heart specialist near you, call 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853).