Although 73% of women understand how to avoid heart disease, many may not know how to manage it after it has been diagnosed.

In a poll of 1,979 women over the age of 35, only 55% reported understanding how to manage cardiovascular disease. Less than 10 percent of respondents correctly identified genuine therapies like angioplasty and stent implantation. Respondents often mistook preventative strategies such as exercise and a good diet for actual treatments.

Hispanics and African-Americans, both high-risk groups for heart disease, were twice as likely as Caucasian women to state that they were unaware of any therapies.

The study was performed as part of the National Women's Health Resource Center and Cordis Corporation-sponsored "Healthy From the Heart" campaign. The campaign urges women to educate themselves about treatment choices for coronary artery disease, the most prevalent form of heart disease, so that they may make more informed decisions if diagnosed.

"The good news is that women are aware of their risk for cardiovascular disease. The bad news is that they overestimate their abilities to prevent and cure the disease "Dr. Cindy Grines, an interventional cardiologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oaks, Mich, said the following. "Women must know that education is the key to overcoming coronary artery disease as a danger. There are now several therapeutic options accessible."

The most frequent treatment for coronary artery disease is balloon angioplasty with coronary stent placement. Angioplasty involves inserting a catheter with a balloon tip through the arm or groin artery to the blocked artery in the heart. Inflating the balloon presses the plaque against the artery walls, which in turn enlarges the blood vessel and facilitates blood flow.

Scientific advancements have led to the invention of the drug-eluting stent, a microscopic mesh scaffold that supports the artery open while slowly releasing a specific medicine, such as sirolimus, inside the artery. This prevents plaque from rebuilding and recurring blockages from happening inside the blood artery.

Surgical coronary bypass is an alternative therapy option. Although more invasive, this procedure is safe and successful for individuals who do not qualify for angioplasty and stent placement.