CALCIFIED PLAQUE

Course overview

CORONARY ARTERY CALCIFICATION IS FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED DURING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION (PCI). CALCIFIED PLAQUE POSES NUMEROUS CHALLENGES TO SUCCESSFUL PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION. STENT DELIVERY AND OPTIMAL STENT EXPANSION BECOME MORE DIFFICULT WITH A CALCIFIED PLAQUE. PROCEDURAL COMPLICATIONS AND LONG-TERM ADVERSE OUTCOMES ARE WORSE AND CLOSELY CORRELATED WITH INCREASING SEVERITY OF CORONARY ARTERY CALCIFICATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CALCIFIED PLAQUE LESIONS AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.