Understanding Angioplasty and Stenting key solutions to Cardiac health

Is your doctor calling you or is someone else in your surroundings for your cardiac angioplasty or stenting procedure?

It’s good to understand and make better decisions earlier. Read till the end!

Always seek professional medical advice from your doctor or specialized field doctor- If a patient is asked by a doctor to make mind about angioplasty or cardiac stenting then it is clear his/her heart isn’t pumping well or the heart condition is compromising and deteriorating day by day and it needs to do the surgical procedure before life-threatening consequences.

Table of Contents:-

1. Keys lab findings to know before the procedure

2. What is Angioplasty?

3. What is Stenting?

4. Causes of Coronary blockage?

5. Potential risks and benefits of Angioplasty and Stenting

6. Recovery

Key Evidence for Angiography and Stenting: What to Know Before the Procedure

Medical assessment and some lab tests are crucial to the right diagnosis done by your medical professional to convey the proper assistance and solve the concerns of your patient.

Pre-assessment procedures include an Angiogram, ECG, CT scan, and some more advanced MRI, PET Scan, and CCTA as per your doctor’s recommendations which he will assume for a better understanding the heart health.

Angiogram

Angiography, also known as arteriography, is a type of imaging technique that reveals an inside picture of the body's blood vessels and organs, or lumen, with an emphasis on the heart chamber, veins, and arteries.

Echocardiogram (ECG)

High-frequency sound waves, or ultrasound, are used in echocardiograms (echo) to create images. It records images of the walls, blood channels, valves, and chambers of your heart. Additionally, it can aid in the diagnosis of a thrombosis, infection, heart hole, or valve issue. Given that the test uses radioactive rays to provide bulk data imaging.

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

A combination of multiple scans. Specifically, in the cardiac region called Cardia CT scan. comprehensive pictures taken from various points within your heart that can be read immediately or rebuilt to provide multi-angle, 3D views of your heart and surrounding structures.

PET Scan

A nuclear imaging test is a PET scan. It makes use of a radioactive tracer that is absorbed by heart-sick regions. The PET camera then determines the tracer's absorbance location. It focuses on damaged scar tissue and is often performed in combination with a CT- scan.

MRI

A diagnostic examination called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may produce finely detailed images of almost every organ and structure inside the body by using radio waves and magnetism.

What Is Angioplasty? 

A surgical procedure known as "angioplasty" is used to unblock a blocked artery in patients with thrombosis, also known as "coronary thrombosis. “Angioplasty is a procedure that can be done in an emergency setting of a hospital without the need to do open heart surgery. when a catheter—a long, thin tube—is the only thing inserted into a blood artery.

This causes the clot or plaque to push against the artery walls and re-open the artery. This surgical invasive procedure is supported by minimally local anesthesia done by a professional surgeon’s team in the hospital.

What Is Stenting?

A stent is a little tube made of wire mesh that supports your artery by functioning as a scaffold. It is injected into the freshly opened segment of the artery to prevent it from re-constricting or narrowing.

Stents are left to be fully lined within the vessel for 3 to 12 months, and the length of time depends upon the coating of medication on the stent or without it. To stop scar tissue from growing inside the stent, the majority of stents have a coating of medication. We refer to these stents as drug-eluting stents. 

Causes:

Several things may cause coronary heart disease. Some of them are:

·         High blood pressure

·         High levels of cholesterol

·         Lack of exercise

·         Having diabetes

·         High levels of lipoprotein

·         Chain Smoking

·         Having obesity can increase your chances of getting a coronary heart disease

·         A history of CHD in the family can increase risks of contracting coronary artery diseases too.

Possible risk factors and benefits associated with angioplasty and stenting procedures

The surgery is relatively low-risk, which is a comforting fact. The probability is less than one in a pool of a hundred when serious side effects from elective angioplasty and stenting are taken into account. While there are risks associated with any medical operations, the great majority of patients—roughly 99%—do not have any serious consequences.

However, some local risks associated with these two procedures are;

·       Bruising at site-induced catheter needle.

·       Minor pain associated with the chest or arm.

·       Risk of clotting or embolism, so Antiplatelet drugs were provided.

·       Any allergic skin reaction to contrast dye used in laboratory scans.

·       Arrhythmias.

·       Risk of infection at needle site.

·       Very rare, risk of heart attack and stroke due to hemorrhage (bleeding).

·       Renal damage from contrast dye used in tests.

·       Rupturing of the coronary artery is rare.

Previously slightly common in situations when angioplasty operations failed, emergency bypass surgery is today very rare, being needed in only one in every 2000 patients. Depending on the different case scenarios and conditions. Discuss with your medical professional team and cardiac specialists regarding operations or any worries regarding surgery and medical complexity.

Recovery after the procedure 

·  Follow all your prescribed medication and check for the next follow-up with your doctor.

·  Any prescription drugs you must take and don’t skip the dose.

·  Instruction on wound care and cleanliness during your recovery at home.

·  Cardiac physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

·  Regular exercise.