Cardiovascular Diseases
Heart failure and coronary artery disease are the most common causes of death in both men and women.
Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure
Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, is a chronic disease in which the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked by deposits of fatty material called plaques. If an artery becomes blocked, blood flow can be interrupted and cause a heart attack.
Advanced heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart is too weak to pump enough oxygenated blood around the body.
Patients with coronary heart disease and/or heart failure may experience one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Reduced heart function
Options for the Treatment of Heart Disease
Protected PCI
For some patients, the doctor may determine that their heart disease is too severe for a typical stenting procedure and too risky for surgery. Protected PCI is a widely-available procedure that uses Impella, the world's smallest heart pump, to temporarily support the heart's pumping function. The Impella heart pump helps maintain blood flow to critical organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys during a stenting procedure.
Talk to your cardiologist about your options
All heart procedures are associated with risks:
- Allergic reaction to the medication used in connection with the procedure
- Clots that can travel through blood vessels and block blood flow to other organs, including the lungs, making it difficult to breathe or increasing the risk of a stroke
- Infection that can be localised or spread throughout the body
- Injury or irritation of the heart tissue, heart valves and blood vessels. The injury or irritation may cause an irregular heartbeat or the onset of life-threatening conditions
- Bleeding, low blood pressure, low thrombocyte count and/or red blood cell damage. These conditions can be life-threatening
- The liver, kidneys or other parts of the body may not receive enough blood to function efficiently and may not work normally
- Your heart function may not improve or your heart failure may get worse
- Infection at the incision site. If you are obese, have diabetes or have already had CABG, the risk of infection is greater
- Memory loss and/or loss of mental clarity
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