Angioplasty, saving patients with heart disease

Coronary angioplasty is a procedure to open a blockage or narrowing of the heart arteries. After angioplasty, you can increase the life expectancy of someone who has or is at risk of a heart attack and reduce the risk of a subsequent heart attack.

Angioplasty aims to increase blood flow to the heart. This mechanism is achieved by inserting and inflating a small balloon into the blocked artery to help widen the channel. This procedure is actually common in the treatment of heart disease, especially in patients over the age of 65 years.
Angioplasty is often associated with the placement of small metal tubes called stents or rings. Some types of rings are coated with drugs that will help keep blood flow open in the veins. The purpose of installing the ring is to open the walls of blood vessels and prevent them from narrowing again.
 
The role of angioplasty
In general, angioplasty is a procedure performed to treat the following health problems.
  • atherosclerosis

To increase the blockage of blood flow to the heart in patients with atherosclerosis, symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath. Atherosclerosis is hardening of the walls of blood vessels due to accumulation of fatty plaque. Angioplasty is done if lifestyle changes or medications do not relieve symptoms.
  • Heart attack

Can be done when a heart attack occurs to open a blockage of the heart arteries and reduce the risk of heart damage.
 
How is angioplasty done?

Medical history, physical examination results and additional examinations will be examined by a doctor before the realization of this procedure. The patient will undergo a coronary angiogram to find out the exact location of the narrowing of the arteries and its certainty that the narrowing or blockage that may occur can be treated with angioplasty.

Angioplasty is performed by cardiac catheterization, by making a small incision in the skin of the leg, arm, or wrist, so that a small catheter can be inserted into a vein in a blocked or narrowed heart artery. The balloon at the end of the catheter will be pumped and deflated several times in the vein until the vessel wall widens. Then the catheter is removed. The angioplasty process can cause chest pain because, when the balloon is developed, blood flow to the heart is slightly obstructed. During the procedure, the patient will be anesthetized but will remain conscious and the heart rate monitor will monitor the patient's heart rate.

After the angioplasty process is finished, the patient's heart will be monitored at the hospital for a certain period of time, so the patient must be hospitalized. When allowed to return home, patients are usually advised to drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous activities. Always try to take prescribed medication, such as aspirin and others.

Patients should seek immediate medical attention if: the area where the catheter is inserted feels pain, becomes red, swollen, hot, or bleeds. Similarly, if you feel shortness of breath, chest pain or feeling weak.

This procedure cannot be done on everyone with heart disease. Some people with 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.
  • Suffer more than one disease that attacks blood vessels.
  • Suffering from diabetes.
  • There is more than one blockage of blood vessels.

In the above situation, it is preferable to do a heart bypass (coronary bypass surgery), which involves making new channels using blood vessels from other parts of the body, so that blood flow to the heart returns smoothly.

Angioplasty also has risks
Although it is considered capable of saving heart patients, angioplasty also involves risks, namely:
  • Repeated narrowing of arteries. Angioplasty performed without a ring (stent) can cause up to 30% chance.
  • Blood clots can form on the ring at the end of the action. These blood clots can clog heart arteries and cause heart attacks.
  • Bleeding to the leg or arm at the catheter location is inserted.
  • Heart attack during the procedure.
  • Kidney disorders due to contrast agents used in angioplasty and ring placement, especially in people with pre-existing kidney problems.
  • Damage to the heart arteries during the procedure.
  • Plaque can leak out of the walls of blood vessels when the catheter enters the blood vessels and clogs the arteries in the brain, causing a stroke.
  • Heart rhythm is too fast or too slow during angioplasty.
  • An allergic reaction to the contrast media used in this procedure.
  • Death from a heart attack or stroke.

Angioplasty does not mean that heart disease has disappeared. This will reduce the symptoms of shortness of breath and chest pain, but may still reappear at any time. If angioplasty can treat heart problems, there is no need to do a heart bypass operation that requires a large incision in the chest and a longer recovery phase.

In order not to undergo angioplasty, it is important to stay healthy by stopping smoking, maintaining ideal body weight, lowering cholesterol levels, and exercising regularly.

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