It occurs when obstructions of the coronary arteries reduce or stop the flow of blood to the heart, depriving heart muscle of needed oxygen. Chest pain often accompanies ischemic heart disease. Through Duke's Ischemic Heart Program, patients are evaluated and treated by a team of dedicated cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons who develop an individualized strategy to meet each patient's needs. These include cardiac catheterization and new imaging methods using nuclear medicine techniques and ultrasound. A mobile catheterization program, which features mobile units linked to Duke's cardiovascular databank, allows patients to receive advanced diagnostic procedures closer to home and to their primary care providers.
Rehabilitation is an important tool for the management of coronary artery disease.
Duke's many rehabilitation programs can help patients manage risk factors more effectively, take part in activities designed to enhance their cardiac health, and eliminate unhealthful behaviors such as smoking and excessive stress. Duke's interventional cardiology program, which provides a non-surgical approach to coronary artery disease, is one of the largest and most experienced in the country, with more than 1,700 interventional procedures performed each year. Stents, tiny cage-like structures that help arteries cleared by procedures remain open. Duke is a leader in the use of stents to treat coronary artery disease, performing stent placements in more than 800 patients per year. Duke Heart Center patients for whom surgery is indicated have access to the latest operations and techniques for heart protection, methods of anesthesia, and supportive care.