| isease claims several lives everyday of both man and | | | | stents. This is comparatively a safe procedure with |
| woman worldwide. The most common causes of | | | | less chances of serious complication. However, like all |
| heart disease are smoking, birth control pills, stress | | | | other medical procedure, there is always a possibility |
| level, hypothyroidism, blocked artery and many more. | | | | of complication even if ultimate care is taken. |
| The good news is that it is reversible. What is needed | | | | Before you undergo Coronary Angioplasty, the doctor |
| to is to bring down the risk factors like smoking, blood | | | | will advise you to go through coronary angiography to |
| pressure and cholesterol level. For example, once you | | | | locate the exact position of the blocked artery. This is |
| manage to stop smoking, you can reduce your risk of | | | | done by injecting a special dye in your artery through a |
| heart attack within a couple of weeks. By the end of | | | | catheter. X-ray picture then reveals the blood flow in |
| two years of quitting cigarettes, your heart becomes | | | | your coronary artery. This will exactly locate the |
| as good as a nonsmoker’s. The blocked artery | | | | positions of the blockages. A second catheter is then |
| is caused by deposition of a fatty substance known | | | | used for the angioplasty procedure. This catheter has |
| as plaque on the inner wall of artery. | | | | a balloon at the end of it. This balloon is inserted in the |
| If you have a blocked blood flow in your heart, then | | | | artery near the blockage and then inflated. If needed |
| Coronary Angioplasty is the most common method | | | | the balloon can be inflated and depleted number of |
| that is employed to remove such blockage. It is also | | | | times to ensure it removes the blockage. This |
| widely used as an emergency treatment for heart | | | | removes the blockage and improves blood flow. Once |
| attacks. This can quickly remove the blockage and | | | | the procedure is complete, both the catheters are |
| restore the bold flow in the heart and thereby reduces | | | | removed. If the plaque is too hard to remove using the |
| the chance of heart muscle damage. Other | | | | balloon catheter then sometimes a drill-like device |
| advantages of Coronary Angioplasty are that you | | | | called rotablator is used to clear the blockage. |
| don’t have to undergo a surgical procedure; the | | | | Though angioplasty is very safe, in some rare cases it |
| procedure does not need anesthesia and has quick | | | | can develop complication due to consistent bleeding |
| recovery time. The only disadvantage of this process | | | | from the point of insertion of catheter. The dye can |
| is that over a period of time the artery can again | | | | have an allergic reaction to some person. Damage to |
| narrow down causing blockage. But the chance of | | | | the kidney can be also caused by the dye. There is |
| such event can be lowered by the use of medicated | | | | also possibility for a heart attack or stroke. |