ABSTRACT
The 78-year-old patient awakens. She has just undergone a diagnostic procedure, following admission to hospital with symptoms of a heart attack. She looks up into a kindly face. The doctor explains that the test found severely blocked arteries. The patient and her anxious family can now weigh the options: bypass surgery to replace the clogged blood vessels, insertion of a metal stent device to open them, or drug therapy. Fearful of the procedures, the woman chooses to manage her atherosclerosis-the buildup of plaque inside her arteries that caused the heart attack-with medications. The drugs cannot reverse the damage, but if she stops smoking and begins a healthier diet and exercise plan, the disease’s course may slow.
