Editing Heart (section)

====Ischemic heart disease====
{{Main|Coronary artery disease|Coronary artery bypass surgery|Coronary stent}}Narrowings of the coronary arteries (ischemic heart disease) are treated to relieve symptoms of chest pain caused by a partially narrowed artery (angina pectoris), to minimise heart muscle damage when an artery is completely occluded ([[myocardial infarction]]), or to prevent a myocardial infarction from occurring. Medications to improve angina symptoms include [[Medical use of nitroglycerin|nitroglycerin]], [[beta blocker]]s, and calcium channel blockers, while preventative treatments include [[Antiplatelet drug|antiplatelets]] such as [[aspirin]] and [[statin]]s, lifestyle measures such as stopping smoking and weight loss, and treatment of risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Authors/Task Force Members|last2=Piepoli|first2=Massimo F.|last3=Hoes|first3=Arno W.|last4=Agewall|first4=Stefan|last5=Albus|first5=Christian|last6=Brotons|first6=Carlos|last7=Catapano|first7=Alberico L.|last8=Cooney|first8=Marie-Therese|last9=Corrà|first9=Ugo|date=September 2016|title=2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: The Sixth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and Other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (constituted by representatives of 10 societies and by invited experts) Developed with the special contribution of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation (EACPR)|journal=Atherosclerosis|volume=252|pages=207–274|doi=10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.05.037|issn=1879-1484|pmid=27664503|url=http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/handle/2268/205776|doi-access=free|access-date=11 September 2018|archive-date=28 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828102950/https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/205776|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to using medications, narrowed heart arteries can be treated by expanding the narrowings or redirecting the flow of blood to bypass an obstruction. This may be performed using a [[percutaneous coronary intervention]], during which narrowings can be expanded by passing small balloon-tipped wires into the coronary arteries, inflating the balloon to expand the narrowing, and sometimes leaving behind a metal scaffold known as a stent to keep the artery open.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Kolh|first1=Philippe|last2=Windecker|first2=Stephan|last3=Alfonso|first3=Fernando|last4=Collet|first4=Jean-Philippe|last5=Cremer|first5=Jochen|last6=Falk|first6=Volkmar|last7=Filippatos|first7=Gerasimos|last8=Hamm|first8=Christian|last9=Head|first9=Stuart J.|date=October 2014|title=2014 ESC/EACTS Guidelines on myocardial revascularization: the Task Force on Myocardial Revascularization of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Developed with the special contribution of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI)|journal=European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery|volume=46|issue=4|pages=517–592|doi=10.1093/ejcts/ezu366|issn=1873-734X|pmid=25173601|doi-access=free}}</ref>

If the narrowings in coronary arteries are unsuitable for treatment with a percutaneous coronary intervention, open surgery may be required. A [[Coronary artery bypass surgery|coronary artery bypass graft]] can be performed, whereby a blood vessel from another part of the body (the [[Great saphenous vein|saphenous vein]], [[radial artery]], or [[Internal thoracic artery|internal mammary artery]]) is used to redirect blood from a point before the narrowing (typically the [[aorta]]) to a point beyond the obstruction.<ref name=":0" />{{sfn|Davidson's|2010|pp=585–588, 614–623}}