Dr. Michael W. Howard, MD is a cardiothoracic surgeon in Stuart, FL specializing in cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Michael W. Howard, MD is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic, MARTIN MEMORIAL PHYSICIAN CORPORATION INC and Martin North Medical & Surgery Ctr, Stuart.
501 Se Osceola Street Suite 201
Stuart, FL 34994
509 Riverside Drive
Stuart, FL 34994
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It happens when the blood vessels carrying blood to the heart, called coronary arteries, narrow and harden. This occurs when cholesterol, a type of fat found in the blood, builds up to form plaque, which sticks to the inner walls of the arteries. As plaque accumulates, less blood can flow through the arteries, which may lead to the following:
Certain factors may increase risk for the disease, like smoking, lack of exercise, being overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. CAD tends to develop over decades, so it can go undetected until it has become quite severe. A diagnosis may be established using such tests as:
Treatments for the disease include medications such as vasodilators, like nitroglycerin, which dilates (widens) the coronary arteries. CAD may also be treated by a procedure called angioplasty with stent placement, where a balloon is inflated inside a diseased artery to flatten the plaque deposits against the artery walls, creating more room for blood to flow.
In some severe cases of the disease, multiple arteries may be blocked, and an open heart surgery called coronary artery bypass surgery may be necessary. This operation transplants a vessel from another part of the body to form a graft that goes past the narrowed arteries, thus enabling blood to flow around those arteries.
Lung Transplant
Patients who have very severe lung disease may need a lung transplant. The diseased lung is entirely removed and replaced with a healthy lung, usually donated by a person who died. Either one or both lungs can be transplanted.
Contrary to popular belief, lung transplant is rarely used to treat lung cancer. It is a more common treatment for patients with other advanced lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung transplant is a serious operation and is generally used as a last resort for patients who have only a short time to live without surgery.
During a transplant, an incision is made on the side of the chest (for a single lung) or in the middle (for both lungs). Patients may be hooked up to a heart-lung bypass machine, which will do the work of moving blood and oxygen through the body during the procedure. After the diseased lung is cut away from the main airway and blood vessels, the donor lung is stitched into place. Surgery may take as long as twelve hours, and a hospital stay of two to three weeks after surgery is not uncommon. For the first hours or day after surgery, patients use a ventilator, or a machine to help them breathe. Tubes will be inserted into the chest to help drain excess air and fluid. During recovery, physical therapy and breathing exercises are used to help the new lung work as well as possible.
Lung capacity is carefully monitored for several months after surgery. Patients who have had a transplant will also have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives. These drugs stop the body's immune system from attacking the new lung. The main risks after a transplant are infection and rejection (when the immune system attacks the 'foreign' lung). A healthy lifestyle, including maintaining a diet high in vegetables and lean protein, not smoking, and getting enough exercise, is important to keeping the lungs functioning as well as possible. With proper care, many patients can live ten or even twenty years after a lung transplant.
He completed residency at Hospital Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile General Surgery Santiago, Chile, FL. He has a state license in Florida.
Residency: Hospital Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile General Surgery Santiago, Chile, FL (1995)
Licensed In: Florida
Dr. Michael W. Howard, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Michael W. Howard, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 7 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Michael W. Howard, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Stuart, FL.
These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Michael W. Howard, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.
AtriCure, Inc. |
$511
SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM $425 |
EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX $86 |
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ABIOMED |
$130
Impella $130 |
|
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation |
$86
INSPIRIS RESILIA aortic valve $86 |
|
Getinge USA Sales, LLC |
$29
VASOVIEW Hemopro 2 $29 |
Food and Beverage | $670 |
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Travel and Lodging | $86 |
Dr. Michael Howard is a Stuart, FL physician who specializes in cardiothoracic surgery. He has a 5.0 out of 5 star average patient rating. These areas are among his clinical interests: aortic valve regurgitation, mitral valve prolapse, and rheumatic heart disease. Dr. Howard is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic. He speaks Spanish.