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Why should you receive treatment
for Ischemic Heart Disease in AMC?

Angina pectoris or myocardial infarction is a disease that occurs as the coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart is narrowed by arterial hardening and causes severe sudden pain in the precordial area or seizure. The inner wall of the artery is like a clean pipe without any exotic particles. However, having fatty substances and cholesterol deposit in the pipe wall is called ‘atherosclerosis’.

Angina pectoris has three types. First, ‘stable angina’ is a type that occurs by recurrent stenosis due to arteriosclerosis. Second, ‘unstable angina’ takes place as the arteries are suddenly narrowed and blocked due to atherosclerotic lesions and thrombosis. By the same token, acute myocardial infarction is defined as having an ulcer in the heart muscle as atherosclerotic lesions block the blood vessel. This is also one type of unstable angina. Third, ‘variant angina’ occurs as blood flow becomes slower due to vascular contraction despite few atherosclerotic lesions.

For angina pectoris, getting quick treatment is vital as it says ‘golden time.’ If you have symptoms like sharp pain, heavy feeling, or tightness in the chest, you have to see a doctor and receive treatment after appropriate examinations immediately. AMC Heart Institute provides a 24-hour emergency care system in which an emergency team consisted of outstanding medical professionals, and cutting-edge medical equipment are on standby around the clock for fast diagnosis and treatment. An emergency ICU is separately operated in the emergency room for heart disease patients having chest pain, breathing difficulty, and syncope. Same-day admission and discharge services are also offered to allow patients to conveniently and quickly receive examinations, procedures, and monitoring in a pleasant environment.

AMC Ischemic Heart Disease Center performs more than 2,500 coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass grafts a year with world-class medical skills since the first successful coronary artery stenting in Korea in 1991. The center is also committed to training medical professionals and contributing to medical advancement through international research and education programs.

The Ischemic Heart Disease Center offers treatment support services such as a one-day program, a fast-track system, counseling and reservation, and interpreter services.

Treatment options

Medical treatment

A lot of drugs competent in inhibiting platelet aggregation and widening blood vessels without straining the heart muscle have been developed. Antiplatelet medicines including aspirin, beta blockers, and lipid-lowering drugs as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) in some patients are known to lower mortality rates and the incidence of complications. Calcium-channel blockers and nitroglycerin are representative drugs that alleviate symptoms and promote mobility.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The location and severity of lesions are checked using cardiac angiography and balloon dilation and stenting are performed on patients considered suitable for the procedure. The method is expected to relieve symptoms of stable angina patients while increasing the survival rate and alleviating symptoms in both unstable angina patients and acute myocardial infarction patients. It is especially important for emergency patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Percutaneous coronary intervention not only has a higher success rate but also takes a shorter time to treat and costs less than coronary artery bypass graft.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Coronary artery bypass graft is used when more than one of coronary arteries are narrowed, or the diseased area was arduous to access for procedures. It involves placing the saphenous vein graft from the leg or the internal mammary artery graft from the chest to detour blood under the narrowed blood vessel. AMC performs more than 300 CABG a year as well as minimally-invasive surgeries and robot-assisted CABG.

AMC’s treatment performance

Major surgeries and procedures / performance

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Name Performance Remarks
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) 300/year  
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) 3,000/year  
Coronary angiography (CAG) 6,000/year  

Major medical facilities

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Devices Unit Medical staff Unit
Coronary care unit 16 Angio Suite(vein illuminator) 4
Same-day admission Y Hybrid OR 1

Research and education

The Center has improved Korea’s national images through the Cardiovascular Summit (TCTAP) held every year as Asia’s representative international cardiovascular event and takes the lead in global medical education through the ACT Program held every month as a small-scale intensive training program for specialists.