Overview
Coronary angioplasty (AN-jee-o-plas-tee) is a procedure to open clogged blood vessels of the heart. Coronary angioplasty treats vessels, called coronary arteries, which deliver blood to heart muscles. A tiny balloon on a narrow tube, called a catheter, is used to widen a clogged artery and improve blood flow.
Angioplasty is often followed by the placement of a small wire mesh tube called a stent. The stent helps prop the artery open and decreases the chance of the artery narrowing again. Most stents are coated with medicine that helps keep the artery open.
Angioplasty and stent placement may be a planned procedure to improve blood flow to the heart muscles. The procedure also may be used as emergency treatment for a heart attack.
Coronary angioplasty and stent placement also are called percutaneous coronary intervention.
Why it’s done
Angioplasty with stent placement is used to treat the buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls, a condition called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a common cause of blockages in the heart arteries. Blockage or narrowing of these blood vessels is called coronary artery disease.
Angioplasty improves blood flow to the heart. Your healthcare team may recommend this treatment if:
- Medicines or lifestyle changes have not improved heart health.
- Chest pain, called angina, caused by blocked arteries is worsening.
- Blood flow needs to be fixed quickly to treat a heart attack.
Angioplasty isn’t for everyone. Sometimes an open-heart surgery called coronary artery bypass grafting is recommended instead. Another name for this surgery is CABG — pronounced “cabbage.” It creates a new path for blood to flow around a blocked or partially blocked artery in the heart.
A heart doctor, called a cardiologist, and other members of your care team consider the severity of your heart disease and your overall health when deciding on the best treatment option.
