An angioplasty your doctor can perform to open the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart muscle. These blood vessels are also known as coronary arteries. Doctors often perform this procedure immediately after a heart attack.
You have angioplasty in a hospital. The doctor threads a thin tube through a blood vessel in the arm or groin up to the involved site in the artery. The tube has a tiny balloon on the end. When the tube is in place, the doctor inflates the balloon to push the plaque outward against the wall of the artery. This widens the artery and restores blood flow.
Having an angioplasty within the first hours after a heart attack may reduce your risk of having another. Timing is crucial. According to the Harvard Heart Letter, angioplasty performed more than 24 hours following a heart attack may not provide any benefits. The faster you receive treatment for a heart attack, the lower the risk of heart failure and other complications.
Chairman, Angioplasty
Consultant, Angioplasty
Registrar, Critical Care Medicine