Webchat Transcripts - Questions and Answers with a Physician
Coronary artery disease is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, usually caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis (sometimes called "hardening" or "clogging" of the arteries) is the buildup of cholesterol and fatty deposits (called plaques) on the inner walls of the arteries. These plaques can restrict blood flow to the heart muscle by physically clogging the artery or by causing abnormal artery tone and function.
Interventional procedures consist of balloons, blades, and rotational cutting devices that have the ability to dilate and/or cut away fatty matter, opening up narrowed arteries. Over the years, scientific advancements have decreased the complication rate, and improved the safety and outcomes of these procedures.
Read transcripts of prior webchats on this topic:
- Coronary Artery Disease (Faisal Bakaeen, MD & Stephen Ellis, MD 9/4/18)
- Advanced Coronary Artery Disease (Drs. Abdallah & Khatri 05/10/18)
- Advanced Coronary Artery Disease (Drs. Bakaeen & Ellis 06/07/17)
- Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): Diagnosis and Treatments (Drs. Ellis and Bakaeen 01/17/17)
- Advanced Coronary Artery Disease (Drs. Ellis and Bakaeen 06/23/16)
- Coronary Artery Disease (Drs. Raymond and Scharfstein 01/22/16)
- SCAD - Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (Esther Kim, MD 07/24/15)
- Coronary Artery Disease and Treatments (Drs. Raymond and Scharfstein 06/16/15)
- Coronary Artery Disease and Treatments (Drs. Ellis and Martin 1/21/15)
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This information is provided by Cleveland Clinic as a convenience service only and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. Please remember that this information, in the absence of a visit with a health care professional, must be considered as an educational service only and is not designed to replace a physician's independent judgment about the appropriateness or risks of a procedure for a given patient. The views and opinions expressed by an individual in this forum are not necessarily the views of the Cleveland Clinic institution or other Cleveland Clinic physicians.
Reviewed: 08/18