LA QUINTA, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 25, 2014) - Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common and most serious health conditions in the United States. In fact, one in six deaths among Americans is caused by CAD.1 CAD is characterized by the buildup of plaque in arteries, which may cause a narrowing, or blockage, decreasing the amount of blood reaching the heart muscle. This blockage in the coronary arteries is often referred to as obstructive CAD. Symptoms of obstructive CAD can include pressure, heaviness or dull pain in the chest, jaw, shoulder, back or arm.
Diagnosing obstructive CAD can be a major challenge, particularly in women, but now Dr. Nicole Ortiz and her colleagues at Live Well Clinic are taking action to help non-acute, symptomatic patients who may be at risk for heart blockages by using a new personalized genomic test called Corus® CAD. Corus CAD is a convenient blood test that allows healthcare providers to safely and accurately assess whether or not a patient has a blockage in their heart.
"When there is a blockage in your heart arteries, the activity of specific genes in your blood changes -- Corus CAD works by measuring the activity levels of those genes," said Dr. Ortiz. "If the Corus CAD score comes back low, we can turn our attention to other factors that may be causing the patient's symptoms and avoid unnecessary follow-up procedures like chest x-rays, exercise stress tests, and surgery. We can also avoid the associated risks of these procedures such as imaging-related radiation exposure, imaging agent intolerance, or complications with cardiac catheterization."
Unlike traditional noninvasive imaging tests that don't account for the biological differences between men and women, Corus CAD is the only sex-specific test for the diagnosis of obstructive CAD. This is important because women can exhibit different symptoms than men, such as heartburn, nausea, vomiting or body aches. These symptoms suggestive of obstructive CAD are more varied and less obvious than the symptoms men often exhibit, which makes diagnosing their root cause more difficult.
With her fiftieth birthday approaching and a strong history of heart disease in her family, Theresa Miller, age 49, of Palm Desert consulted with Dr. Ortiz and decided to have a Corus CAD test administered. She was concerned about her cardiovascular health because her family has a history of heart disease and she was experiencing heart disease-related symptoms. Her low Corus CAD test score confirmed that she was at low risk for obstructive CAD. This piece of mind allows Ms. Miller, a mother and grandmother, to continue enjoying healthy activities like golf.
"As part of our commitment to advancing patient care, Live Well Clinic assessed various diagnostic options available and decided to integrate Corus CAD into our practice due to its accuracy and ease-of-use advantages," said Dr. Ortiz. "Innovative tools like Corus CAD allow us to examine patients more efficiently and provide them with that peace of mind that their symptoms are not due to a heart blockage."
About Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease is a very common heart condition in the United States. One in six deaths among Americans is caused by CAD. CAD can cause a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries (vessels to the heart that supply the heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients), reducing blood flow to the heart muscle. This narrowing or blockage in the coronary arteries is often referred to as obstructive CAD, characterized by the presence of atherosclerosis, or plaque.
About Live Well Clinic
Live Well Clinic offers an entirely new concept in health and wellness. When a patient is sick or the body isn't functioning at its best, patients know the importance of seeing a doctor. The doctors and medical staff at Live Well provide traditional clinic services and have also incorporated an extraordinary spectrum of programs that are not typically found in clinical settings in order to keep patients' overall health at its optimum.
Live Well Clinic provides healing services that are progressive, yet practical, honest, and organic, where science joins nature to create a unique healing experience. In creating a synergy of conventional and alternative medicine, we offer the newest options in holistic medicine to address the balance of body, mind, and spirit.
As partners in health, the doctors at Live Well Clinic value the importance of building a strong relationship with patients. We understand that each patient has a unique set of needs and visits are tailored to meet those needs. All treatments are individualized, providing not just symptom management but permanent positive changes in one's overall health.
Live Well Clinic is the natural choice in the Coachella Valley for people who seek specialized attention from doctors that listen and understand a patient's specific health needs.
About the Corus CAD test
Corus CAD is a blood test that can safely and conveniently help primary care clinicians and cardiologists assess whether or not a stable non-diabetic patient's symptoms are due to obstructive CAD. This enables many patients to avoid unnecessary noninvasive and invasive cardiac procedures and exposure to imaging-related radiation risks, reactions from imaging dyes or complications with cardiac catheterization. The test involves a routine blood draw that is conveniently administered in the clinician's office. The test is simple, convenient, and as a sex-specific test for the evaluation of obstructive CAD, accounts for critical biological differences between men and women.
1 Go AS, Mozaffarian D, Roger VL, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics--2013 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2013;127:e6-e245.
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