Angioplasty is a surgical procedure to open blocked or narrowed blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. These are the main blood vessels known as the coronary arteries. This procedure uses a balloon to stretch open a narrowed or blocked artery. Thus known as balloon angioplasty.
Advanced Angioplasty procedures involve inserting a short wire-mesh tube, called a stent, into the artery during the procedure. The stent stays permanently in the artery and holds it open. It improves the flow of blood to the heart.
Coronary angioplasty, also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The combination of coronary angioplasty with stenting also known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Who needs Angioplasty?
The heart needs a constant supply of blood, like other organs of the body. With old age, arteries can become narrowed and hardened, which can cause coronary heart disease. This condition restricts the flow of blood to the heart. That leads to chest pain known as angina, which is usually triggered by physical activity or stress.
Benefits
Angioplasty for Heart Attack treatment saves lives. It is an efficient way to get the blood flowing to the heart again quickly. The sooner your blood supply restored, the less damage there will be to your heart muscle. It also relieves chest pain and may prevent shortness of breath and other symptoms associated with a heart attack.
Angioplasty also lessens the chances that you could need more invasive open-heart bypass surgery, which comes with a significantly longer recovery time. It lowers the risk of another heart attack and also increases your chances of survival more than clot-busting medications.
