Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary Artery Disease services offered in Sarasota, FL

Coronary artery disease (CAD) develops when the coronary arteries that supply nutrients and oxygen to your heart become blocked or damaged. This happens when plaque — a waxy substance — builds inside the arteries and restricts blood flow. At Gulfshore Personalized Care in Sarasota, Florida, Thomas Arne Jr., DO, FACC, offers his expertise in cardiology and internal medicine to help prevent and treat coronary artery disease. Call the office today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about coronary artery disease treatment.

Coronary Artery Disease Q & A

What is coronary artery disease?

Coronary artery disease happens when cholesterol and other fatty deposits start to build up inside the heart’s arteries. The role of these arteries is moving blood and oxygen to the heart, but when those deposits accumulate, the blood can’t move to the heart in necessary quantities.

The heart condition can become quite serious, and may even cause a heart attack or other serious complications if left untreated.

Coronary artery disease can cause:

Chest pain
Breathing problems
Nausea
Pain in other parts of the body

At Gulfshore Personalized Care, Dr. Arne takes a holistic approach to care, providing treatment that helps enhance your whole-person health.

Whenever possible, Dr. Arne prefers conservative treatments to treat coronary artery disease. However, in some cases (depending on the severity of your symptoms), you may need a surgical procedure.

Who is at risk for coronary artery disease?

There are a number of risk factors for coronary artery disease. Many of these are often manageable conditions and lifestyle habits, including:

High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Excess weight
Smoking
A sedentary lifestyle
Poor dietary choices
Stress

However, there are also risk factors that can’t be controlled, including age (over 45 for men / over 55 for women) and a family history of coronary heart disease.

The majority of risk factors for coronary artery disease begin early in life. For this reason, it’s important that people start healthy eating and exercise habits when they’re still young.

How is coronary artery disease treated?

There are several things that people can do to prevent coronary artery disease. Weight loss, dietary changes, smoking cessation, reducing stress, and regular exercise are all excellent ways to help avoid coronary artery disease.

In addition to positive lifestyle changes, medications may be used in coronary artery disease treatment, including:

Cholesterol medication
Blood thinners
Blood pressure medication
Beta blockers
Nitroglycerin

In cases where lifestyle changes and medication aren’t sufficient to treat coronary artery disease, surgery may be considered. This may include angioplasty and stent placement or coronary artery bypass surgery.

Call Gulfshore Personalized Care today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about coronary artery disease.