Atherosclerosis Case Study

There are numerous treatments available for those diagnosed with atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Most widely known is the daily aspirin; it is recommended that all patients with documented CAD be treated with a daily aspirin (Boudi, 2015). Treatment of angina and prevention of acute cardiac symptoms includes various medications such as: nitrates, beta-blockers, statins, calcium channel blockers, and ranolazine, which inhibits the sodium current of the cardiac action potential (Boudi, 2015). For individuals who have already experienced a cardiac event or have documented atherosclerosis, treatments include: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to reduce blood pressure, antiplatelet agents such as heparin and clopidogrel, …show more content…
It is understood that even though some patients may have critical flow limitation to a vital organ, they may still survive for many years (Boudi, 2015). If lifestyle changes or pharmaceutical treatments are not utilized most individuals with atherosclerosis will incur one of the following acute events: A myocardial infarction, or heart attack, will occur if an artery that supplies oxygen to the heart muscle is blocked; a stroke will occur if an artery that supplies oxygen to the brain is blocked; gangrene can occur if an artery that supplies oxygen to an extremity is blocked (NHLBI, 2016). Statistics show that 7% of men and 6% of women will die suddenly from a heart attack and 8% of men and 11% of women will have a stroke (Boudi, 2015). Individuals that have survived a myocardial infarction have a poor prognosis; 25% of men and 38% of women will die within one year of the event, 18% of men and 34% of women will have second myocardial infarction within six years, and 22% of men and 46% of women are disabled with congestive heart failure as a result of the myocardial infarction (Boudi,