Highly effective treatment for blocked or narrowed coronary (heart) arteries

Under most circumstances, angioplasty is done electively to investigate the cause of abnormal stress testing, abnormal ECG, angina, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, chest pain, or confirmed coronary artery disease. However, angioplasty is also used as an emergency procedure when a heart attack or chest pain cannot be relieved with regular medical intervention.

Plaque (fatty deposits inside the artery that stick to the arterial wall) can sometimes burst, creating a blood clot that, if it grows large enough, can partially or completely block blood flow to some of the heart muscle. During an angioplasty, a Hurley cardiologist threads a balloon to your heart and into a coronary artery that is partially or totally blocked by plaque. The balloon is then inflated so that it can restore blood flow to your heart muscle. Sometimes a metal coil called a stent is put in place to hold the artery open.

Quickly opening such a blockage reduces damage to your heart and restores blood flow to the heart muscle. Since angioplasty works quickly, it is often the best approach during a heart attack. Please click here for more information on the angioplasty procedure.