Coronary Disease
Coronary artery carries the oxygenated blood to the cardiac muscles. Coronary heart disease is the resultant of the blocked arteries which obstruct the flow of oxygen to the cardiac muscles of the heart. There are various causes responsible for this problem. These factors range from hypertension, diabetes, high levels of cholesterol, smoking, lack of exercise to obesity, stress and some others.
Because of these conditions the endothelium (internal wall) of the blood vessels is affected. This results in the formation of obstructive plaque in the artery which affects the normal blood circulation. When the blood flow for a certain activity is insufficient, (climbing stairs, running), the person experiences angina (pain) in the chest. The triggering of angina with very less effort indicates severe obstruction.
At this stage the disease can be detected by the cardiologist by performing some physical examination and suggesting some tests like EKG, Echocardiogram, and a treadmill test. In some cases a nuclear myocardial perfusion study may be advised.
If the results of the test are positive for lowered coronary blood flow (myocardial ischemia), it indicates severe obstruction (70% or more) in the coronary artery. This can significantly affect the quality of the patient’s life. More importantly it indicates that the person is at the risk of a heart infraction.
At this stage the cardiologist can suggest the localized cardiac catheterization in order to determine the best remedial measure for the patient’s treatment.
The first option for the treatment is angioplasty, which involves the reopening of the obstructed artery with a special balloon. Then a metallic prosthesis stent is implanted to prevent further obstruction of the blood vessel. The procedure is similar to the catheterization and is preformed under local anesthesia. If no other complications arise the patient can go home the very next day.
In case that angioplasty is not possible, the doctor may advice the patient to undergo a cardiac surgery. It consists of performing a bypass in the coronary artery using grafts from the leg veins or vessels in order to normalize the blood flow to cardiac muscles.
In certain cases the coronary disease can be so severe that even a bypass surgery is not possible. For such patients, the cardiologist may prescribe high dosage medications. These patients also have various limitations in their lifestyle.
Such patients, who suffer from angina and have a higher risk of cardiac infraction, are ideal candidates for the stem cell therapy. The administration of stem cell treatment in these patients can result in formation of new blood vessels. This reduces the risk of cardiac infraction and improves the quality of life of the patient.
