Angioplasty

The heart is an amazing muscle. It beats an average 100,000 times daily to pump almost 2,000 gallons of blood. To do this amount of work, the heart muscle needs a constant flow of oxygen and nutrients from the bloodstream. This is supplied by the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with the energy it needs to function.

As we age, our coronary arteries become lined with fatty material, or plaque, that can interfere with blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis. This can starve the heart of the oxygen-rich blood we need to survive. When the lack of blood flow to your heart reaches a critical stage, you could suffer a heart attack. 

One symptom of a blocked artery is a type of chest pain called angina. You feel this pain when you exercise or otherwise exert yourself. When you feel chest pain from blocked arteries, you might see an interventional cardiologist for treatment. This specialist might perform a balloon angioplasty to open the blocked artery. He or she may also place a device, called a stent, in your artery. The stent is a metal mesh tube that, when expanded, is about the size of a spring in a ballpoint pen. The stent will help keep your artery open with less chance of it becoming blocked again, than if you had a balloon angioplasty alone. This procedure helps to restore normal blood flow to your heart. 

When you first see the cardiologist, he or she will order blood tests, take an electrocardiogram and other tests, and discuss the catheterization procedure with you.