Now that you know how the Plumbing System works and what coronary artery disease is, let's discuss treatment options. 

Treatment

Since each person is different, treatment options for coronary artery disease (CAD) vary. Some of the treatment options include prevention, medical treatment, coronary interventions, surgery and in some cases, transplant.

Every person with heart disease should control the risk factors in his or her life that contribute to the condition. This is called secondary prevention. Secondary prevention includes lifestyle changes and medication for your cholesterol. Taking these measures should slow or stop the progression of CAD and, hopefully, prevent future events. 

Coronary interventions are done in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. A common name for this procedure is angioplasty. During an angioplasty a balloon is inflated in a coronary artery. The balloon pushes blockage against the side of the artery to restore blood flow. There are other procedures that can be done with angioplasty, including coronary stenting and atherectomy. Stenting insets a tiny wired tube to keep the arteries open. Atherectomy uses special cutting and grinding tools to remove the plaque buildup . For many patients, angioplasty is an excellent option and coronary bypass surgery can be avoided.

Coronary artery bypass grafting, also known as CABG, is another option for patients with coronary artery disease.  Click here to learn more about coronary artery bypass grafting.  

Heart transplant is another treatment with severe coronary artery disease when other treatments are not successful or the disease has progressed even with other treatments.

Your doctor will help you decide which is the best option for you.