Get Email Alerts
Who Needs Coronary Angioplasty?
Your doctor may recommend coronary angioplasty if you have narrow or blocked coronary arteries as a result of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Angioplasty is one treatment for CHD. Other treatments include medicines and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). CABG is a type of surgery in which a healthy artery or vein from the body is connected, or grafted, to a blocked coronary artery.
The grafted artery or vein bypasses (that is, goes around) the blocked portion of the coronary artery. This improves blood flow to the heart.
Compared with CABG, some advantages of angioplasty are that it:
- Doesn't require open-heart surgery
- Doesn't require general anesthesia (that is, you won't be given medicine to make you sleep during the procedure)
- Has a shorter recovery time
However, angioplasty isn't for everyone. For some people, CABG might be a better option. For example, CABG might be used to treat people who have severe CHD, narrowing of the left main coronary artery, or poor function in the lower left heart chamber.
Your doctor will consider many factors when deciding which treatment(s) to recommend.
Angioplasty also is used as an emergency treatment for heart attack. As plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, it can rupture. This can cause a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque and block blood flow to the heart muscle.
Quickly opening the blockage restores blood flow and reduces heart muscle damage during a heart attack.
Clinical trials are research studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans. To find clinical trials that are currently underway for Coronary Angioplasty, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
November 14, 2011
Delayed stem cell therapy following heart attack is safe but not effective
Stem cells obtained from bone marrow, known as BMCs, can be safely injected into people 2-3 weeks following a heart attack, reports a new clinical trial supported by the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. However, while safe, the BMCs did not improve heart function six months after their administration.
When a heart attack happens, any delays in treatment can be deadly.
Knowing the warning symptoms of a heart attack and how to take action can save your life or someone else’s.
The NHLBI has created a new series of informative, easy-to-read heart attack materials to help the public better understand the facts about heart attacks and how to act fast to save a life.
Click the links to download or order the NHLBI's new heart attack materials:
“Don’t Take a Chance With a Heart Attack: Know the Facts and Act Fast” (also available in Spanish)
“Heart Attack: Know the Symptoms. Take Action.”
“Learn What a Heart Attack Feels Like—It Could Save Your Life”
The NHLBI updates Health Topics articles on a biennial cycle based on a thorough review of research findings and new literature. The articles also are updated as needed if important new research is published. The date on each Health Topics article reflects when the content was originally posted or last revised.
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube