38 Irrawaddy Road #08-51, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563
38 Irrawaddy Road #08-51, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563
After a coronary angiogram has been conducted, and the full extent of your cardiac disease is known, a coronary angioplasty may be recommended to help open up the blood vessels that supply your heart.
In some adults the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, the coronary arteries, can become narrow and hardened due to a buildup of cholesterol deposits known as plaque. This is known as atherosclerosis and can lead to angina, which refers to chest pain due to reduced blood flow to heart muscles.
If you have symptoms of angina or if your arteries have narrowed beyond certain limits, then a coronary angioplasty would be one of the treatment options considered to open up the arteries and allow blood flow through.
During the procedure, a balloon catheter is inserted into the narrowed artery and then inflated to expand it and improve blood flow. To keep the newly expanded artery open, a stent is inserted.
Similar to a Coronary angiogram, a fine soft tube is inserted through your wrist or groin and placed close to the heart under x-ray guidance.
A wire is then inserted inside the targeted blood vessel and trekked across the blockage. This is followed by the placement of the balloon and stent. The balloon is inflated to widen the artery while the stent pushes against the arterial wall, squashing the fatty deposits outwards and allowing better blood flow.
Coronary angioplasty is one of the most common types of heart treatment prescribed by Cardiologists. It involves no major incisions and is considered a minimally invasive procedure.
Severe complications like damage to arteries, allergic reaction to the contrast agent, bleeding, heart attack, or stroke are very small. These risks increase with factors like age and medical condition, and will be discussed at length before the procedure.
The benefits of Coronary angioplasty are that it can rapidly relieve symptoms of chest discomfort and it has a relatively short downtime, allowing patients to resume their normal activities quicker. The entire procedure itself takes around 30-60 minutes, although it can be longer depending on how many sections of artery require treatment.
In most cases, you will likely stay for observation overnight and you should be able to go home the next day.
A Coronary Angioplasty in Singapore is a procedure designed to improve blood flow to the heart. During the procedure, you’ll be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area and you may receive mild sedation to keep you comfortable. While many patients remain awake during the procedure, some may require a combination of medications to put them to sleep. During the angioplasty, a thin tube called a catheter is gently inserted into an artery, usually in your wrist, and guided to the blocked coronary artery. Through this catheter, a small balloon is inflated to widen the artery and restore proper blood flow. Sometimes, a stent, a tiny mesh tube, is implanted to keep the artery open.
The procedure typically takes about an hour, and most patients are able to return to their normal activities within a few days. Post-procedure, you’ll be monitored for any immediate complications and given some guidelines to help you during recovery.
Patients who have been diagnosed with atherosclerosis and experiencing chest discomfort (angina) or heart attacks are often considered candidates for a coronary angioplasty procedure. The severity of narrowing of the arteries are assessed before recommending the procedure for patients.
Other treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes to slow down the deposit of plaque on artery walls. Generally, coronary angioplasty is recommended if these medication and lifestyle changes are not sufficient or if you are experiencing symptoms of heart disease.
If you have mild narrowing of the arteries and your condition is responding well to medication, then a coronary angioplasty may not be necessary.
“Ballooning” an artery involves guiding a catheter to the site of the artery narrowing or blockage and then inflating a balloon. This compresses arterial plaque against the vessel wall and restores regular blood flow.
“Stenting” involves inserting a lattice-shaped scaffold where the balloon angioplasty was performed. This scaffold keeps the artery open to ensure continuous blood flow.
Stents are permanent and can last a lifetime. There is a very low risk of the narrowing returning.
Even though a coronary angioplasty may contribute to greatly increased blood flow, they do not address the underlying problem behind the artery narrowing or blockage.The heart medications are there to treat your underlying conditions.
It’s important to remain vigilant and continue taking your medications even after the procedure and to follow any lifestyle or dietary changes prescribed by your cardiologist.
The first 6-12 months after coronary angioplasty are critical. Blood thinners will be prescribed during this time to ensure that blood doesn’t clot inside the stent. Blood clots can lead to heart attacks or strokes, and therefore following your recommended medication regime is important.
Talk to your heart specialist about how long you have to remain on blood thinners and when it is safe for you to stop certain medications.
In the long-term, you can return to all your normal activities, including exercise after a coronary angioplasty procedure. However, any resumption of vigorous physical activity should be discussed with your heart doctor. It is generally recommended to slowly build up to physical activity after a coronary angioplasty.