Therapy

At the beginning of a circulatory disorder of the heart, it can usually be brought under control by a healthier lifestyle, a low-fat diet and sufficient exercise. Here the physician should weigh the complaints and factors of risk, before a further therapy is introduced. In the early stages of arteriosclerosis, drug therapy can be very helpful.

These include blood-thinning drugs such as Aspirin®, cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and nitrates. However, these must be taken daily and continuously to reduce the risk of a heart attack or embolism. If this treatment is not sufficient, invasive measures must be taken to promote blood circulation.

Balloon angioplasty of the coronary artery is a minimally invasive therapy method to widen the opening of the vessel. This can be done through the skin. A subsequent stent implantation prevents the dilated vessel opening from closing again.

In addition, the blood supply to the heart can be improved by a bypass operation, which is either minimally invasive or by opening the chest. In this operation, a healthy vessel is taken from the leg or arm, for example, or an artificial vessel replacement is used. This is connected to the blood vessel in front of and behind the vasoconstriction, thus restoring a continuous blood flow.

This operation can be performed on a beating heart or on a stopped heart whose function is replaced by a heart-lung machine. If this treatment is not sufficient, invasive measures must be taken to promote blood flow. Balloon angioplasty of the coronary artery is a minimally invasive method of treatment to widen the opening of the vessel.

This can be done through the skin. A subsequent stent implantation prevents the dilated vessel opening from closing again. In addition, the blood supply to the heart can be improved by a bypass operation, which is either minimally invasive or by opening the chest.

In this operation, a healthy vessel is taken from the leg or arm, for example, or an artificial vessel replacement is used. This is connected to the blood vessel in front of and behind the vasoconstriction, thus restoring a continuous blood flow. This operation can be performed on a beating heart or on a stopped heart whose function is replaced by a heart-lung machine.