Inflammatory atherosclerotic processes lead to high-risk plaque in coronary arteries and are the major cause of heart attack. The majority of heart attacks occur in patients with a coronary plaque lesion that currently is not severe, presents little to no symptoms, and is therefore hard to diagnose at-risk patients.
High-Risk plaque lesions present often in young patients and progresses often without specific symptoms; it can therefore be challenging to diagnose patients. Development and progress in CCTA imaging, and its growing uptake in routine cardiological practice will allow earlier non-invasive detection of high-risk plaque.
Use of stents to treat high-risk plaque carries particular risks and uncertain outcomes.
An early-stage European innovator developing a catheter for use by interventional cardiologists to treat atherosclerotic plaque that causes heart attack by delivering cryoenergy to the coronary arteries.
