What is Coronary Angioplasty?
Angioplasty involves the insertion and inflation of a tiny balloon inside of your blocked blood vessel. This helps to improve blood flow by enlarging the area that your blood has to flow through. During some procedures, a stent (a piece of supportive wire mesh) is placed inside of the vessel to help keep it open and continue promoting healthy blood flow. Stents are placed and left in permanently.

Why Doctors Select Coronary Angioplasty
Stenting and angioplasty are minimally invasive alternatives to coronary bypass grafting surgery (which has a much higher complication risk). This is due in part to anesthesia during stenting. Recovery is much simpler as well. Patients are able to resume their normal activities within just a day or two.

Benefits of a coronary angioplasty or stenting procedure include:

• Coronary Angioplasty can be performed during a heart attack to restore blood flow and potentially save your life.
• It may lessen your risk of future stroke.
• May prevent gangrene by increasing blood flow to the legs.
• This procedure can reduce the symptoms of heart disease.
• It can improve kidney function.

Uncommon Downside to Coronary Angioplasty
Complications are much less common in angioplasty and stenting procedures than they are with coronary bypass grafting surgery, patients should need to be notified of the potential risks. The most common complication as a result of angioplasty is simply the necessity for a repeat procedure later on, which generally only happens if a coronary artery re-narrows. The best thing that you can do is to ensure that you follow all of your doctor’s instructions, and be aware of the following issues that may arise:

• A rare percentage of patients are allergic to the stent itself
• Scar tissue may cause the need for repeat procedures
• Blood vessels may become damaged at the insertion point
• Blood clots can form inside stents
• An artery can collapse or close
• The more major arteries that are involved, the greater the risk
• If angioplasty fails, coronary bypass surgery may be needed
• Some patients may experience side effects to the medications given post-procedure

Any procedures to do directly with the heart can send people into a state of anxiety. But the important thing to know is that you are in great expert hands with the physicians of Tampa Cardiovascular Associates. This is a procedure they have performed successfully time and time again.

For further advice on angioplasty and other coronary surgeries, or to schedule an appointment of your own, never hesitate to contact the skilled cardiologists of Tampa Cardiovascular Associates. Simply call our offices at (813) 975-2800 and any of our friendly staff members would be happy to assist you in getting set up with one of our physicians. www.tampacardio.com.