Coronary Artery Disease Treatment. 6 Things You Should Know About Coronary Angioplasty with Stents

Coronary angioplasty is a medical procedure meant to separate the walls of a narrow artery, in order to make it easier for blood to flow through. It generally involves inserting a deflated balloon into the blocked artery and inflating it to separate the walls of the artery. However, in some cases, doctors can also choose to place a stent, which is a small wire mesh tube that will remain in the artery to keep it wide.

1. Coronary angioplasty is used to treat atherosclerosis

When you have coronary artery disease, it means that you also have atherosclerosis. This condition is caused by fatty deposits that stick to the walls of the arteries, forming plaques. In time, these plaques lead to the formation of blood clots, which end up blocking the arteries. Part of coronary artery disease is to have narrowed arteries, in which case a coronary angioplasty can be a good solution.

2. Coronary angioplasty poses a series of risks

While it is generally an efficient method of spreading the vessels, this medical procedure does carry risks.

• Restenosis means that the artery can become narrow once again, particularly in cases where the coronary angioplasty took place without inserting a stent. The risk of restenosis is about 30 percent, but placing a stent can reduce those odds significantly. With a stent placement, restenosis occurs in around 15 percent of cases, while inserting a stent with medication reduces the odds to 10 percent.
• Even after you’ve had a coronary angioplasty with stent placement, you are still at risk of developing blood clots. If that happens, your odds of a heart attack rise drastically. Some medications can help prevent that from happening, particularly those designed to reduce the risk of blood clots (such as prasugrel or aspirin).
• Coronary angioplasty involves inserting a catheter in the groin. This area could become infected or cause bleeding. Normally, you shouldn’t have more than a bruise, but if severe bleeding occurs, you have to see your doctor immediately. 

3. Coronary angioplasty requires a coronary angiogram

Your doctor’s decision of performing a coronary angioplasty is normally taken after they’ve done a coronary angiogram. This involves checking if the blocked artery can indeed be treated with this procedure. 

During the angiogram, the doctor will inject a liquid die into your bloodstream by using a catheter. The catheter can be inserted in the groin, the arms, or the wrists. As the dye reaches the coronary artery, you will be connected to an X-ray machine, giving your doctor better visibility of how blood flows through the vessels. 

The coronary angiogram will show if there are any blocked arteries. The doctor may also decide to perform the coronary angioplasty immediately after, taking advantage of the fact that the heart is catheterized. 

4. You will be awake during the procedure

Even if you are awake during the procedure, you will be given fluids and medicine to help you relax, which will be administered using an IV catheter. 

As the procedure begins, the doctor will use a needle to reach an artery in the arm or leg, and then make a small cut in the skin. You might feel pressure when the catheter is inserted, but you won’t be able to feel any pain, nor will you feel the catheter inside your body.

Thanks to the dye injected through the catheter and the clear images that show your doctor where the problem is, the small balloon that’s placed at the end of the catheter that’s inside your body will be slowly inflated, causing the walls of the arteries to move further apart from one another. 

Once the artery is stretched, the balloon will be deflated and removed. If required, this is the point where the doctor may also place a permanent stent. 

5. Stent placement requires medication treatment

Placing a stent is done during the coronary angioplasty, as the stent is inserted together with the deflated balloon. When the catheter has reached the blocked area of the artery, the doctor begins inflating the balloon, which leaves the spring mesh wire in place inside the artery.

However, since placing a stent does not guarantee that no future blots will be formed, doctors prescribe a longer medication treatment, typically one with aspirin, as this drug helps thin the blood. 

6. Coronary angioplasty can be performed as an emergency procedure

People having a heart attack may require coronary angioplasty and stent placement as part of an emergency medical intervention. People who underwent a coronary angioplasty will not usually remain hospitalized for more than a day, and this is a routine procedure to monitor the heart and adjust the medication. 

However, if angioplasty and stent placement are the results of urgent medical intervention, you will be required to spend more time in the hospital, under careful supervision. 

Conclusion