Some 12 million Americans have coronary artery disease, making it a leading cause of death and disability in this country. The buildup of atherosclerotic plaque in the vessels supplying the heart can deprive this organ of the vital oxygenated blood it needs, resulting in a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or causing pain (angina). At NYU Medical Center, we offer a range of services to meet the needs of patients with coronary artery disease as well as those at risk for heart disease.

Cardiologists in our Department of Medicine are available to tailor treatment regimens for patients with high blood pressure and/or cholesterol. Using the latest antihypertensive drugs and cholesterol-lowering agents, doctors work to reduce a patient's risk of developing heart disease or, if they have already suffered a heart attack, of experiencing a recurrence.

When heart disease is suspected, a variety of tests are available at NYU Medical Center to make an accurate diagnosis. These include electrocardiography, echocardiography, exercise stress testing, angiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear imaging procedures. Many of these examinations are provided in our Noninvasive Cardiology Laboratory.

For patients who are candidates for balloon angioplasty and stenting because of coronary atherosclerosis and/or stenosis, NYU's interventional cardiologists can sometimes perform these procedures on an outpatient basis, or have the patient stay in the hospital just one night. These minimally invasive procedures open up clogged arteries, restoring normal blood flow through them.

When bypass surgery is necessary, NYU's cardiac surgeons take a minimally invasive approach whenever possible. Some patients are eligible for a "port-access approach," which accesses the heart via small chest incisions, results in less pain, and allows the patient to recover more quickly than traditional open-heart surgery. Our surgeons have performed more minimally invasive port-access cardiac surgeries than any other hospital in the world.

NYU Resources

Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention Center

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Interventional Radiology and Endovascular Surgery

Minimally Invasive Vascular Surgery: Balloons and Stents

Minimally Invasive Bypass Surgery

Noninvasive Cardiology Laboratory

Noninvasive Vascular Laboratory

Other Resources on the Web

American Heart Association

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Society of Interventional Radiology