Question 1

how do doctors diagnose coronary artery disease?

Accepted Answer

Several ways: It is suspected by the symptoms typically pain in the chest on exertion. An EKG can be done at rest or better still during exercise. Sometimes in addition some slightly radioactive material is injected and "pictures" are taken before and after the exercise. Dye can be injected directly into the coronary arteries to see if ane where they are blocked. Ct scans and mri's can also be used.

Question 2

which is the most preferred and accurate test when it comes to diagnosing coronary artery disease for doctors?

Accepted Answer

Catheterization: There are issues with any, but for planning surgery, cath is still, the best.
Exercize or nuclear screening has good use.
Ct scans are getting better! but calcium may be present without stenosis and vice versa.

Question 3

hi doctors, was just wondering what is coronary artery disease and how does drug eluting stents help?

Accepted Answer

Fatty buildups: In young, healthy individuals the inner lining of the blood vessels is clean and smooth. Overtime, for many reasons, the inner surface of the heart blood vessels (coronary arteries) may start becoming bumpy/lumpy or blocked due to fat (cholesterol) deposits called "atherosclerotic plaque". Stents help unblocking the arteries by getting the plaque out of the way so that more blood flow is available.

Question 4

help doctors! what're the treatments for coronary artery disease (cad)?

Accepted Answer

Medicines: There are medicines. Angioplasty and bypass operations cabg
all determined by appropriate tests and nature of cad
there are lot of advancements in CAD treatments 
lipid management asprin/ace/arb/beta blockers and  diet exercise.

Question 5

i smoke have chest pains been evaluated by doctors what is the likelihood that i have coronary artery disease? trying to quit smoking any suggestions?

Accepted Answer

You're young: At your age, the risk of CAD is still very low - even though you smoke. Do you have diabetes, hypertension, family history of premature heart attacks or early death? Those would all raise your risk.  Assuming average values: cholesterol 200, HDL 40, no hypertension or diabetes, your risk of CAD is 0.3% per year for the next 10 years. Please stop smoking. Only you can do it.

Question 6

how do doctors test for coronary artery disease? i'm a man in my mid-twenties. every couple of months, i experience a sharp, shooting pain in the area of my chest that covers my heart. the shooting pain only last for a minute or two, and then is alleviate

Accepted Answer

The : The type of pain you describe is pleuritic in nature.  However if you are still concerned, you can follow up with your doctor to have a stress test done.  If the stress test is abnormal, then a cardiac catherization can be done.  Your age alone would make CAD very unlikely, but not impossible.  Additional things to screen for risk factors would include a cholesterol check, blood pressure check, as well as a thorough history and physical by your primary physician.  Hope this helps.

Question 7

how do you diagnose coronary artery disease?

Accepted Answer

Imaging: There are many imaging modalities that investigate the degree to which the coronaries are diseased.  Most adults have a degree of coronary artery disease; the question is the severity.  The best means of detection of the severity of coronary artery disease is a functional test such as stress test combined with imaging.  The imaging can be nuclear, echo, mri, and pet.

Question 8

what are tests used to diagnose coronary artery disease?

Accepted Answer

Several: First of all the history. Usually there is chest pain as the presenting symptom and the exact description of that pain is important. Does it occur during exertion? Then an EKG is done. Also an EKG with exertion or medication to stress the heart along with pictures of the heart. The final test would be to put some dye into the arteries to directly visualize a blockage.

Question 9

can an ecg diagnose coronary artery disease? had hr of 160 went to er. place on monitor and troponin done twice. still have tight band around chest.

Accepted Answer

Not completely: May detect acute rhythm and ischemia, BUT more needed.
Followup with cardiology and do stress testing.to detect exercize ischemia-angina--
Seems like NOT A HEART ATTACK per se!

Question 10

recent angiogram diagnose was:non obstructive coronary artery disease, how high is my risk to suffer a heart attack?

Accepted Answer

There is: disagreement about the risk factors associated with "non-obstructive" coronary DISEASE (ABNORMAL coronary arteries but without significant OBSTRUCTIVE lesions on ARTERIOGRAPHY/ANGIOGRAPHY
Best practice is to use all the "tools" to prevent cor-
onary events as patients with OBSTRUCTIVE disease...
Smoking cessation, graded excercise, Cholesterol lowering etc etc

Hope this helps!
Dr Z

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Doctor answers about:

How do doctors diagnose coronary artery disease

A member asked:

How do doctors diagnose coronary artery disease?

A member asked:

Which is the most preferred and accurate test when it comes to diagnosing coronary artery disease for doctors?

A member asked:

Hi doctors, was just wondering what is coronary artery disease and how does drug eluting stents help?

A member asked:

Help doctors! what're the treatments for coronary artery disease (cad)?

A member asked:

I smoke have chest pains been evaluated by doctors what is the likelihood that i have coronary artery disease? trying to quit smoking any suggestions?

A member asked:

How do doctors test for coronary artery disease? i'm a man in my mid-twenties. every couple of months, i experience a sharp, shooting pain in the area of my chest that covers my heart. the shooting pain only last for a minute or two, and then is alleviate

A member asked:

How do you diagnose coronary artery disease?

A member asked:

What are tests used to diagnose coronary artery disease?

A member asked:

Can an ecg diagnose coronary artery disease? had hr of 160 went to er. place on monitor and troponin done twice. still have tight band around chest.

A member asked:

Recent angiogram diagnose was:non obstructive coronary artery disease, how high is my risk to suffer a heart attack?

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