Managing Cardiovascular DiseaseCardiovascular disease is when the major blood vessels of the heart become clogged with placque and the flow of blood is restricted. Your cardiologist determines this limitation in blood flow through various tests. From monitoring your blood pressure and blood chemistry to tracking your blood flow with radioisotope dyes and radiology, the determination of a diagnosis of cardivascular diseaes is usually rather definitive and the amount of blockage is finite. Treatment Many times, this disease can be treated through medications aimed at dissolving the placque or clots and much of the time, surgery will be required. What was, at one time, considered the most major of surgeries, the Coronary Artery Bypass and Graft (CABG) procedure has become somewhat routine. In the larger hospitals that specialize in this (Centers of Excellence), it is not uncommon for 15-20 or more of these surgeries to be performed each day. Recovery from this surgery is often accomplished in less than 60 days or less. This procedure has become so common that it is said that there are country clubs that prohibit membership to anyone without the chest scar resulting from CABG surgery! Take your cardiologist's advice and direction quite seriously, follow the specific directions, and the wonders of modern medicine will get you through it!
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