ABOUT ANGIOPLASTY - part 2

How is Angioplasty Performed?

Patients who have undergone an Angiogram will find an Angioplasty procedure is a very similar experience. Angioplasty is also performed in a Cardiac Cath lab. Patients usually receive medication before and during angioplasty procedure to help them relax. You are awake and alert throughout the procedure and are required to respond to the doctors requests during the procedure.

Angioplasty begins by inserting a sheath for the catheter into a blood vessel, most often in the upper leg or groin area, but sometimes in the arm.

A very small balloon catheter is passed through the sheath and into the blood vessel leading to the coronary arteries.

With the help of the X-ray, the Cardiologist follows the path of the catheter on the fluoroscope. Pictures may be taken just like an angiogram.

Once the balloon is at the narrowing of the artery, the balloon is centered, it is then inflated to open the blockage.

Every situation is unique, but in most cases, the inflation will last from 30 seconds, up to several minutes, depending on the nature of the blockage. The balloon is inflated at least two times, however, it may also be inflated three or more times.

While the balloon is inflated, some people feel a chest pain that is similar to the angina they have experienced. This happens because the balloon is temporarily blocking off the flow of blood and the oxygen that it carries to the heart. Patients should describe to the doctor any pain they feel during the procedure.

What is a Stent?

A stent is an expandable mesh tube of a special metal which is designed into a cylindrical wave pattern. The shape and material of the stent result in a flexibility which can be expanded by a balloon to adapt to the shape and curves of the artery.

A stent is implanted to support the artery and keep the vessel open like a structural frame work. It is introduced into your artery just after balloon Angioplasty and is positioned at the site of the obstruction. Implantation of a stent benefits those patients who have a potential for future problems such as block recurrence or restenosis. The stent is implanted permanently in the artery.

What happens after the Angioplasty Procedure?

After the Angioplasty Procedure, patients are taken to an intensive care unit with special monitoring equipment. Blood pressure, pulse monitoring and ECGs are performed routinely after Angioplasty procedures and do not signify any special problems. If a patient experiences any chest discomfort or pressure, the nurse should be notified immediately.

Recovery in the hospital is most likely a matter of allowing the insertion site to heal before getting up and walking around. Most patients are required to hold their leg or arm straight and still for the first six to eight hours. You may be required to stay in the hospital for 3-5 days before being discharged to the care of your family doctor.

Angioplasty is not a cure, but a treatment to reduce the effects of Coronary Artery Disease. It is extremely important to follow your medication regimen exactly. As such, another element to the recovery for many patients is making lifestyle changes to improve their health and minimise the impact of their heart disease. Several factors are known to contribute to the build up of plaque in the coronary arteries. It is the combination of several of these risk factors, rather than a single factor, that impacts coronary artery disease.

Some of these risk factors such as male sex, age and heredity can only be brought into focus, they cannot be changed. Other factors however that can be controlled include:

- High Blood Pressure
- Smoking
- High Blood Cholesterol
- Body Weight
- Diabetes
- Lack of Proper Exercise
- Stress

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