Coronary Artery Disease

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Datasource: Blocked Artery and Pastor-Cervantes Video

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of heart attack. Whether you are living with CAD, or your loved one has experienced a heart attack, we are here with a range of treatment options.

Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute has specialized expertise in treating CAD using radial artery access for coronary stenting. This innovative procedure is more comfortable for the patient, with shorter recovery time and lower risk for complications. We implant more stents by radial artery approach as a treatment for coronary artery disease than any other program in South Florida.

What Is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?

Your coronary arteries supply blood to your heart. When cholesterol and plaque (a waxy substance) build up inside the arteries, blood flow can be restricted. You may experience chest pain if your heart can’t get enough blood or oxygen. Severely restricted arteries can lead to a heart attack.

CAD can make your heart weaker over time. Eventually, your heart may have a harder time pumping blood, which can lead to heart failure. CAD can also cause abnormal heartbeats, called arrhythmias.

How Memorial Treats Coronary Artery Disease

We take a comprehensive approach to treating CAD, looking at the whole patient and consulting with the entire care team. We offer:

Multiple ways to treat CAD: We bring a range of resources to treating CAD. Our treatments include:
- Medicine and lifestyle changes: Depending on the severity of your blockage, we often start with noninvasive options designed to help reduce your risk of heart attack.
- Stenting: We use cardiac catheterization, a minimally invasive procedure, to place a stent in your blocked artery. The stent opens the artery and restores blood flow. The standard has been to use an artery in the groin for catheterization. Memorial has developed expertise in using the radial artery (the wrist) as an option. For many patients, stenting via the radial artery approach may bring fewer risks and faster recovery.
- Surgery: A coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a surgical procedure for CAD.
Individualized care plans: No two patients are the same. Our team comes together to determine a personalized treatment for you. We communicate openly with you and your family, and we always keep you in the center of care.