NATIONAL HEART MONTH

February Is National Heart Month

February 2005 (Newstream) -- More than 64 million Americans suffer from heart disease - with many having to undergo repeat heart procedures. New technology is making those procedures more precise - and less frequent.

Interventional Cardiac 3D, or IC3D, technology gives cardiologists a complete 3D reconstruction of lesions and vessels in the heart. The model allows doctors to more precisely unblock or open a diseased artery - and prevent another blockage. The technology also leads to faster procedures and less radiation for the patient.

According to the American Heart Association, stent placement is used in 70 to 90 percent of heart procedures. Stents help to unblock or open a diseased artery. However, about 20 percent of those patients' arteries will become blocked again. IC3D allows doctors to tailor the size of the stent more accurately - something that was largely difficult to achieve without this new technology.