Coronary artery disease

An expert heart team by your side

At Sharp, we're proud to be a leader in diagnosing and treating coronary artery disease, the most common cause of heart disease.

Coronary artery disease occurs when cholesterol builds up in the blood vessels, narrowing your coronary arteries and decreasing blood flow to your heart. This decrease in blood flow can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and — in serious cases — heart attacks.

Treat your condition with the latest technology

We offer the most advanced — and least invasive — therapies and techniques to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease so that you can experience the quickest recovery possible. 

Under the care of our experienced doctors, our minimally invasive treatments result in quicker recovery times and reduced risk of infection. Our expertise with the latest technologies allows our teams to address the most complex cases of coronary artery disease.

We treat coronary artery disease with the following methods:

• Atherectomy
  A minimally invasive procedure to remove plaque buildup and restore healthy blood flow.

• Coronary artery bypass surgery
  Through this surgery, a surgeon creates a new pathway for blood around a blocked artery in your heart.

• Lithoplasty
  Treats more complex cases of coronary artery disease where calcification increases risk during standard treatments. This procedure uses sound waves and a balloon to gently expand artery walls to restore blood flow.

• Medications
  Several medications are effective at treating coronary artery disease, including cholesterol-modifying medications, aspirin and beta blockers.

• Off-pump bypass surgery
  In this procedure, our surgeons perform the traditional bypass surgery without the use of a heart-lung machine, or without having to stop your heart. This method can greatly reduce the risk of stroke and other complications.

• Percutaneous coronary intervention (also known as angioplasty and stent placement)
  Angioplasty and stents both help open clogged heart arteries. During a minimally invasive procedure, a tiny, temporary balloon is inflated inside a blocked artery. A stent is a tiny wire mesh tube that is permanently placed in the heart to keep the artery open.

• Thrombectomy
  The removal of a blood clot through a surgical procedure or a minimally invasive technique using a mechanical device.

Learn more

To learn more about our services or to find a cardiovascular disease specialist, interventional cardiologist or cardiovascular surgeon who is right for you, call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm.

Coronary artery disease treatment locations

We offer coronary artery disease treatment at the following Sharp hospitals in San Diego.