JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside doctors are using an innovative new technology to transform how people with suspected coronary artery disease are diagnosed and treated.
The analyzing technology, HeartFlow, captures data from patients’ resting coronary CT scans to make a personalized 3D model of their heart. This helps doctors see the blockage’s impact on blood flow and determine the best treatment plan.
The test creates a color-coded map that helps doctors visualize whether sufficient blood reaches the heart.
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As the most common type of heart disease, coronary artery disease develops when arteries to the heart narrow or become blocked, leading to reduced blood flow to the heart that can cause chest pain, heart attacks, or death.
Identifying exactly where and how an artery is blocked or clogged can help improve a person’s treatment plan, including if an intervention is needed.
Studies have shown a need to improve how and when coronary artery disease is evaluated and diagnosed. Many non-invasive tests available today offer a low accuracy rate in detecting it.
Patients with chest pain suspected of having coronary artery disease undergo about 4 million diagnostic tests each year in the U.S. This new tool greatly reduces unnecessary invasive heart catheterization, allowing for improved recovery time and quality of life for patients.
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“Identifying coronary artery disease is an important first step, but knowing how best to manage patients can be complicated,” said Dr. Carlos Leon, a cardiologist at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside.
“We are excited to offer this advanced heart imaging technology that helps patients avoid unnecessary invasive procedures and can help us better identify those in need of treatment.”
To learn more about heart services offered at Ascension St. Vincent’s, click here.
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Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside has now performed over 200 heart valve repairs using the groundbreaking MitraClip procedure.
For high-risk heart patients, this technology offers hope for a potentially life-saving alternative to open heart surgery.
More than 5 million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year.
Patients who are high risk have a 50% chance of dying within 2 years of diagnosis. That’s why options like this are crucial to give patients a new lease on life.
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