Coronary Artery Disease Services

At UPMC, our experts are committed to offering leading-edge treatment for coronary artery disease and access to the most advanced clinical trials.

We use the latest therapies and techniques to treat blocked or narrowed arteries and help prevent complications related to coronary artery disease.

What Are Coronary Artery Disease Services?

Our interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons provide expert treatment for coronary arteries that are narrowed, inflamed, damaged, or blocked due to a buildup of a cholesterol-containing substance called plaque.

What conditions do we treat?

In addition to treating coronary artery disease, we also treat related complications, including:

• Heart attack, which can cause significant damage to your heart. Heart attacks are most likely to occur when an artery is completely blocked.
• Heart failure, which occurs when your heart is too weak to pump enough blood for your body. Heart failure can be caused by damage during a heart attack or by prolonged reduced blood flow.
• Arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm. Reduced blood flow or damage to the heart can affect your heart's electrical impulses and cause irregular heartbeats.

Who can benefit from CAD services?

People who have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease with or without symptoms can benefit from specialized care at UPMC. With proper treatment and lifestyle changes, it is possible to avoid serious complications and slow the progression of coronary artery disease.

What CAD Services Do We Offer?

Our specialists can refer you to programs that will help you make healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, improving your diet, increasing your activity level, and managing stress. If lifestyle improvements are not enough, treatment may be necessary. We offer a range of treatments, including:

• Medications — Depending on your diagnosis, your physician may use medications to help lower your blood pressure, decrease the amount of cholesterol in your blood, prevent blood clots, and control chest pain.
• Cardiac catheterization and angioplasty — A cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that can help your cardiologist learn more about the cause of your coronary artery disease. If a blockage is found during your cardiac catheterization, your cardiologist may perform an angioplasty to open the blocked artery and prop it open with a tiny tube called a stent. If the blockage is too severe to be stented, your cardiologist will refer you to a cardiovascular surgeon for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery — During CABG surgery your surgeon will take a healthy artery from another place in your body and connect it to your blocked artery, creating a new pathway for blood to "bypass" the blockage on its way to your heart.

What is the most common treatment for coronary artery disease?

Many people with mild coronary artery disease manage their condition with lifestyle changes and medication. However, if you have moderate to severe coronary artery disease, your doctor may recommend cardiac catheterization and angioplasty, or stenting. If your coronary artery disease is extensive or unable to be treated by stenting , your doctor may recommend CABG, or bypass surgery.

What are new treatments for coronary artery disease?

UPMC patients have access to leading-edge clinical trials for the latest medications, devices, and surgical techniques to advance the treatment of coronary artery disease. Additionally, our experts are early adopters of the latest innovations, allowing us to offer advanced care to our patients before it becomes available elsewhere.

What Can I Expect from Coronary Artery Disease Care at UPMC?

Our team includes general cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, and other medical experts. They will create a comprehensive plan to manage your coronary artery disease and reduce your risk of complications.

Before your visit

To prepare for your visit with your coronary artery disease expert, you will be asked to provide:

• Name, address, and contact phone number.
• Insurance information.
• Test results that document your coronary artery disease, if any.
• Relevant medical records.
• A referral, if required by your health insurance company.

If you get a referral from your primary care doctor or another physician, they may be able to provide your test results and medical records to our team.

During your visit

When you arrive for your first appointment, you'll meet with a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. He or she will ask about your medical history and coronary artery disease symptoms.

We'll give you a:

• Complete education session about coronary artery disease symptoms, risks, and treatments.
• A tailored patient education packet for you to take home.

Next, you'll meet with one of our doctors. The doctor will explain your treatment options based on how long you've had coronary artery disease, your symptoms, and past health history.

Together, you will design and agree on a care plan.

Certain treatments may require:

• Blood tests, an echocardiogram, or other tests.
• An outpatient procedure in the hospital.
• An overnight stay in the hospital.

After your visit

Our team will schedule follow-up appointments as needed to check in with you about how your treatment is working. You should contact our office if:

• You have questions about your treatment plan or medications.
• Your symptoms get worse or do not improve as expected.
• You have any other concerns about your condition.

What is the life expectancy of a person with coronary artery disease?

Coronary artery disease may reduce your life expectancy when compared to someone who does not have heart disease. However, with early diagnosis and proper treatment, many people with coronary artery disease live active and fulfilling lives.

What Support is Available for People with Coronary Artery Disease?

The team at UPMC is dedicated to helping you live a full life with coronary artery disease. Our experts will provide you and your family with the education, information, and support you need to understand and manage your diagnosis.

Your coronary artery disease experts

• Cardiologists.
• Cardiac surgeons.
• Interventional cardiologists
• Physician assistants.
• Clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners.
• Dietitians and exercise physiologists.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-10-01.