Medical treatment approaches are continuing to evolve from long-established and accepted treatment methods to evidence-based medicine. Cardiac care is one area experiencing evolving approaches to treatment based on new evidence-based information.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recently released a study involving over 5,000 patients with cardiovascular disease. They were able to demonstrate that a surgical procedure is not the only option for an arterial blockage. Instead, physicians can intervene earlier with preventative treatments or medications and achieve similar outcomes. Additionally, further research into "established" medications has resulted in changes in recommendations from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association to rely on fewer classes of anti-hypertensive medications and use those with proven cardiac benefits and outcomes.

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