What Is Angioplasty?
From the word angioplasty, “angio” means blood vessel, and “plastic” means opening up. So, we can define angioplasty as a procedure that opens up blocked blood vessels. Angioplasty is a common treatment for heart attacks (acute coronary syndrome) and coronary heart disease (CHD). These conditions are usually characterized by the accumulation of plaque, or atherosclerosis, on the walls of blood vessels. Accumulation of plaques causes the arteries to become narrow and blocked. A heart attack may cause the plaque to rupture, causing cholesterol to leak into an artery, and formation of blood clots.
A standard angioplasty usually involves the doctor making an incision in the groin or wrist and inserting a tube, or catheter, into an artery. Then, they thread the catheter towards the affected blood vessel close to the heart. The catheter usually contains an inflatable balloon that removes the clot or plaque, and as a result, opens up the artery. Doctors may use live X-rays and a contrast due to direct the catheter and assess the arteries they want to treat.
Unlike heart surgery, angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that does not involve opening up the chest.
Angioplasty can be used to treat numerous medical conditions. Doctors commonly recommend angioplasty to:
- Boost blood flow to the heart
- Treat angina, or chest pain
- Enhance more activity for people with chest pain
- Treat an abnormal stress test
- Boost blood supply to the heart muscle during or after a heart attack