Angioplasty and stents Treatment

Coronary angioplasty (AN-jee-o-plas-tee), also called percutaneous coronary intervention, is a procedure used to open clogged heart arteries. Angioplasty uses a tiny balloon catheter that is inserted in a blocked blood vessel to help widen it and improve blood flow to your heart.

Angioplasty is often combined with the placement of a small wire mesh tube called a stent. The stent helps prop the artery open, decreasing its chance of narrowing again. Most stents are coated with medication to help keep your artery open (drug-eluting stents). Rarely, bare-metal stents may be used.

Angioplasty can improve symptoms of blocked arteries, such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Angioplasty is also often used during a heart attack to quickly open a blocked artery and reduce the amount of damage to your heart.

Although angioplasty is a less invasive way to open clogged arteries than bypass surgery is, the procedure still carries some risks.

The most common angioplasty risks include:

• Re-narrowing of your artery. When angioplasty is combined with drug-eluting stent placement, there’s a small risk the treated artery may become clogged again (less than 5%). The risk of re-narrowing of the artery is about 10% to 20% when bare-metal stents are used.
• Blood clots. Blood clots can form within stents even after the procedure. These clots can close the artery, causing a heart attack. It’s important to take aspirin in combination with clopidogrel (Plavix), prasugrel (Effient) or another medication that helps reduce the risk of blood clots exactly as prescribed to decrease the chance of clots forming in your stent.

  Talk to your doctor about how long you’ll need to take these medications. Never discontinue these medications without discussing it with your doctor.

• Bleeding. You may have bleeding in your leg or arm where a catheter was inserted. Usually this simply results in a bruise, but sometimes serious bleeding occurs and may require a blood transfusion or surgical procedures.