Coronary angioplasty is a procedure to open a blockage or narrowing of the heart arteries. After undergoing angioplasty, the life expectancy of someone who has or is at risk of having a heart attack can increase and the risk for subsequent heart attacks can be reduced.
Angioplasty aims to increase blood flow to the heart. This mechanism is done by inserting and inflating a small balloon in the part of the blocked blood vessel to help expand the channel. This procedure is actually common in treating heart disease, especially in patients over 65 years.
Angioplasty is often combined with the placement of a small wire tube called a stent or ring. Some types of rings are coated with drugs that will help keep blood flow in the arteries open. Ring installation aims to open the blood vessel walls and prevent them from re-narrowing.
The Role of Angioplasty
In general, angioplasty is a procedure performed to treat the following health problems.
Atherosclerosis
To improve the blockage of blood flow to the heart in patients with atherosclerosis, which symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath. Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the blood vessel wall that occurs due to the buildup of fat plaque. Angioplasty is done if lifestyle changes or medications cannot relieve symptoms.
Heart attack
Can be done when a heart attack occurs to open the blockage of the heart arteries and reduce the risk of damage to the heart.
How Is Angioplasty Performed?
Medical history, results of physical examination and investigation will be considered by the doctor before this procedure is carried out. The patient will undergo a coronary angiogram to determine the exact location of the narrowing of the arteries and know for certain that the narrowing or blockage that occurs can be treated with angioplasty.
Angioplasty is done through cardiac catheterization, by making a small incision in the skin of the limbs, arms or wrist, so that a small catheter can be inserted into a blood vessel into a blocked or narrowed blood vessel. The balloon at the end of the catheter will be inflated and deflated several times in the blood vessels, until the walls of the vessels really expand. Then the catheter is removed. Chest pain can occur during the angioplasty process because when a balloon is developed, blood flow to the heart is slightly inhibited. During the procedure, the patient will be sedated but remain conscious and the heart record tool will monitor the patient's heart rate.
After the angioplasty process is complete, the patient's heart will be monitored in the hospital for some time, so the patient must be hospitalized. When you are allowed to go home, patients are usually advised to drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous activities. Try to always take prescribed medicines, such as aspirin and the like.
The patient should immediately see a doctor if: the area where the catheter is inserted feels painful, becomes reddish, swollen, feels hot, or has bleeding. Likewise if you experience shortness of breath, chest pain, or feeling weak.
This procedure cannot be performed on all people who have heart disease. Some people who experience the following conditions are advised not to undergo angioplasty:
Narrowing occurs in the main blood vessels that carry blood to the left heart.
Weak heart muscle.
Suffering from more than one disease that attacks blood vessels.
Has diabetes.
There is more than one artery blockage.
In the above situation, it is better to do coronary bypass surgery, which is an operation performed to make a new channel using blood vessels from other parts of the body, so that blood flow to the heart returns smoothly.
Angioplasty also has risks
Although considered to save patients with heart disease, angioplasty also has risks, namely:
Repeated arterial narrowing. Angioplasty that is performed without the installation of a ring (stent) can cause this opportunity up to 30 percent.
Blood clots can form in the ring after completion of action. This cloting blood can clog the heart arteries and cause a heart attack.
Bleeding in the legs or arms at the location of the catheter is inserted.
Heart attack while undergoing the procedure.
Kidney disorders due to contrast agents are used during angioplasty and ring placement, especially in people who already have kidney problems.
Damage to the heart blood vessels during the procedure.
Plaque can escape from the walls of blood vessels when the catheter enters a blood vessel, and clog arteries in the brain causing a stroke.
Heart rate that is too fast or too slow when undergoing angioplasty.
Reaction alergy to the contrast material used in the procedure.
Death from a heart attack or stroke.
Undergoing angioplasty does not mean that heart disease has disappeared. This action will make symptoms of shortness of breath and chest pain diminish, but can still reappear at any time. If angioplasty is able to overcome a heart problem, there is no need for a heart bypass operation that requires a large incision in the chest and a longer recovery stage.
So that you do not need to undergo angioplasty, it is important to maintain health by quitting smoking, maintaining ideal body weight, lowering cholesterol levels and exercising regularly.
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