Coronary Angioplasty

What is coronary angioplasty?

Coronary angioplasty is a procedure to widen or open a blocked or narrowed coronary artery. Coronary arteries are blood vessels that supply blood to your heart muscle. Coronary angioplasty improves blood flow to your heart muscle. It is a treatment for coronary artery disease (coronary heart disease) caused by atherosclerosis.

In atherosclerosis, fatty deposits build up on coronary artery walls and harden into a substance called plaque. As plaque builds on coronary artery walls, the artery narrows and hardens. Eventually, a serious blockage can occur and blood will not flow through the coronary artery properly. Atherosclerosis can also cause a blood clot to form, which can totally block the coronary artery. Atherosclerosis increases your risk of heart attack and other heart problems. Some of these problems are serious and even life threatening.

Coronary angioplasty is only one method of treating narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. You should discuss different treatment options with your doctor or healthcare provider to best understand which option is right for you. 

Types of coronary angioplasty

The types of coronary angioplasty procedures include:

• Atherectomy involves inserting a catheter into a vessel in your groin or arm. Your doctor will guide the catheter to the coronary artery that needs treatment. He or she will scrape or drill away the plaque and open the coronary artery.
• Balloon coronary angioplasty is a similar procedure that involves inserting a catheter into a vessel in your groin or arm. Your doctor will feed or guide the catheter to the coronary artery that needs treatment. He or she will expand a balloon on the tip of the catheter to open the coronary artery.
• Laser coronary angioplasty also involves inserting a catheter into a vessel in your groin or arm. Your doctor will insert the catheter to the coronary artery that needs treatment using a guide wire. In this procedure, a laser on the catheter tip destroys the plaque and opens the coronary artery.

Your doctor will look at a variety of factors to determine which type of procedure or combination of procedures to use. This includes the location, size, shape, and hardness or softness of the plaque.

Other procedures that may be performed

In addition to angioplasty,your doctor may also recommend one or more other procedures to diagnose or treat certain conditions. Procedures can include:

• Coronary angiography, which is a procedure that allows your doctor to take pictures or images (called an angiogram) of your coronary arteries.
• Minimally invasive bypass grafting, which provides a new route around diseased coronary arteries with healthy vessels taken from other places in your body. You may have general anesthesia if your doctor combines this surgery with angioplasty.
• Stenting, which involves inserting a metal tube inside your coronary artery and expanding it to keep the artery open after angioplasty. Stents remain in place to keep your coronary artery open.

Why is coronary angioplasty performed?

Coronary angioplastyis a procedure that your doctor may recommend to treat coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is a narrowing of the arteries that supply your heart with blood and can lead to heart attack. Coronary angioplasty can reduce the risk of death in some people with CAD. 

You may be a candidate for coronary angioplasty if:

• You experience angina and shortness of breath, which are symptoms of CAD, with mild or moderate exertion. Angina is chest pain or discomfort.
• You have had a heart attack.
• You have had a previous coronary bypass graft that has closed or narrowed.
• You have only one or two blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. If more coronary arteries are involved, your doctor may recommend coronary bypass grafting instead of angioplasty.
• Your doctor determines that the plaque will respond to angioplasty and can be reached with a catheter.
• Your symptoms do not respond to medications.
• Your symptoms interfere with daily activities.