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heart blockage

when blockage in LAD in 70 to 80% what can i do?
my age is 58
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367994 tn?1304953593
''When blockage in LAD in 70 to 80% what can i do?
my age is 58".

Thank you for your question.  For some perspective I have a totally blocked LAD diagnosed 6 years ago, and a RCA 98% was stented as I needed (allegedly) at the time of my visit to ER.  Also a circumflex 72% blocked, no stent.  I have been on mediction for 6 years, and medication has improved my heart health to normal and not one day of any health problems, not even a cold.

Your post doesn't provide much information.  More information would be helpful.  Are you under a doctor's care? Are you taking medication?  Do you have heart related symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, etc.

Without that information I can generalize and say medication would be appropriate if there is chest pain (angina) and symptom relief with the med.  Angina is caused by narrow coronary arteries that don't adequately pass oxygenated blood when the demand increases from exercising, etc.  Medication dilates the heart vessels and blood flows adequately and no pain.  

If the medication doesn't dilate the vessels adequately, then a mechanical devise (stent) is implanted.  This device props open (stent) the vessel and the procedure is done by passing an instrument through the vessel and into the heart at the site of blockage.  There is a small risk wih the procedure, the site of the implant can develop a clot and cause further heart damage, can restenose (blockage), etc.

If you have coronary artery disease you will need to reduce your risk of further blockage with proper diet, exercise, etc.  Studies have shown there is no advantage of longivity, etc. with either treatment.  There would not be any other considerations but to treat the symptoms, and the least invasive vs. invasive (stent) would be the consideration. Obviously, the least invasive is the best choice barring specific circumstances.

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976897 tn?1379167602
Before the picture is painted too bleak for you, there are certain things you should obviously do. Firstly, you need to make as many lifestyle changes as necessary which will likely prevent problems getting worse. Your cholesterol, exercise, smoking, good diet, stress are all things which will need to be addressed along with your blood pressure if high.
With regards to your blockage, there are basically three options and your cardiologist will establish the best for you based on what symptoms you have. If your symptoms are not too bad, then medication may be the only requirement. If you try medication then your cardiologist will give his opinion on whether he feels stenting or bypass is the best solution. Not everyones stents block up and techniques have changed a lot over the years. I had a stent installed over 2 years ago and the latest angiogram shows absolutely no further disease in the area and the stent is fully open. However, I was not so lucky with the bypass option later in the same year to treat a different vessel. My triple bypass only lasted three months so it failed basically before I had even healed up from surgery.
My LAD was opened with stents last year, but I am not sure why cardiologists feel that bypass surgery is more beneficial with the LAD. You should also remember that the choice at the end of the day is yours and if you feel unhappy with the decisions made, seek further opinions.
On a final note, you could ask your cardiologist if it looks like you have developed any collateral vessels to feed the deprived area of the heart. If you have, then medication would probably be the best solution along with lifestyle changes.
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Avatar universal
I had a heart attack in 1999 and had 85% blockage. I got a stent and it lasted for 10 years before it blocked off. I was 49 years old and I recently had quadruple bypass with blockage of; 85, 90, 90, and 95%. I had the bypass on my 60th birthday. Good luck to you.
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