Darent Valley Hospital offers a service for patients with coronary artery disease who need specialist treatment. Coronary angioplasty is the most commonly used method of treating coronary artery blockages. This treatment is used 3 times more often than the alternative treatment of open heart surgery which is know as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG).
The aim is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for these patients; this is achieved through risk factor identification and management, symptom and medication review and timely referral for assessment and investigations as required.
Following clinic, all patients are offered referral to an appropriate exercise programme which also provides specialised advice to help them improve fitness and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Through empowering patients and effective communication with primary care, the clinics promote the long term management of coronary artery disease and maintenance of risk factor modification; therefore reducing admission rates and associated complications such as unstable angina and myocardial infarction.