Coronary angioplasty, also called as percutaneous coronary intervention, is the procedure used to the open clogged heart arteries. Angioplasty uses the tiny balloon catheter that is the inserted in a blocked blood vessel to the help widen it or improve blood flow to your heart.
Angioplasty is often combined with the placement of the small wire mesh tube called the stent. The stent helps prop the artery open, the decreasing its the chance of narrowing again. Most stents are the coated with the medication to help keep your artery open (drug-eluting stents). Rarely, bare-metal stents may be used.
Angioplasty can improve the symptoms of the blocked arteries, such as the chest pain or shortness of breath. Angioplasty is also often used to the during a heart attack to quickly open a blocked artery and reduce the amount of damage to your heart.
Angioplasty may be the treatment option for you if:
Angioplasty isn’t for the everyone. Depending on the extent of your heart disease or your overall health, your doctor may determine that coronary artery bypass surgery is a better option than angioplasty for you.
You may need coronary artery bypass surgery if:
In coronary artery bypass surgery, the blocked part of your artery is the bypassed using a healthy blood vessel from another part of your body.
The most common angioplasty risks include:
Having angioplasty or stenting doesn’t mean your heart disease goes away. You’ll need to continue healthy lifestyle habits or take medications as prescribed by your doctor.
If you experience symptoms similar to those you had before your procedure, such as the chest pain and shortness of breath, contact your doctor. If you have chest pain at rest and pain that doesn’t respond to nitroglycerin, emergency medical help.
To keep your heart healthy after the angioplasty, you should:
Successful angioplasty also means you might not have to the undergo coronary artery bypass surgery, a more invasive procedure that requires longer recovery time.Book your Appointment with us.