HEALTH + WELLNESS
Dr. Alan Blaker, McLeod Interventional Cardiologist explains new technology,
Laser Treatment for Advanced Heart Disease Available at McLeod The coronary arteries are the vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart. Plaque, which is a collection of calcium, cholesterol, and fat, can build up in these vessels restricting blood flow to the heart causing a heart attack or stroke. With blocked coronary arteries the standard method of treatment is to open the artery with a small balloon over a tiny wire placed across the blockage. Frequently then a stent, a small metal mesh tube, is deployed in the blocked artery that helps keep the artery open. Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy System for treatment of severely calcified heart arteries.
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VIPMagSC.com
July 2022
In some patients, the soft plaque in the arteries undergo changes with heavy deposits of calcium becoming a hard plaque that doesn’t respond well to balloon dilation.
