Treatments
Angiography & Angioplasty
Understanding Angiography and Angioplasty: Essential Heart Care Procedures with Dr. Srinivasa Prasad BV
What is Angiography?
What is Angioplasty?
What is Angiography?
Procedure Overview
Angiography
- A contrast dye is injected into the blood vessels through a catheter.
- X-ray imaging is used to capture detailed images of the blood vessels.
- The images help identify the location and severity of blockages or other issues.
Angioplasty
- A catheter with a small balloon at its tip is inserted into the narrowed artery.
- The balloon is inflated at the site of the blockage, compressing the plaque against the artery walls.
- A stent (a small, mesh tube) is often placed to keep the artery open and ensure long-term patency.
Advantages
Angiography provides several benefits as a diagnostic tool:
1. Accurate Diagnosis
Provides detailed images of blood vessels, allowing precise identification of blockages or abnormalities.
2. Guides Treatment
Essential for planning subsequent procedures like angioplasty or bypass surgery.
3. Minimally Invasive
Performed using a catheter, typically requiring only a small incision.
Angioplasty offers numerous benefits for patients with coronary artery disease:
1. Minimally Invasive
Performed through a small incision, resulting in less pain and quicker recovery compared to open-heart surgery.
2. Immediate Symptom Relief
Often provides rapid relief from chest pain (angina) and shortness of breath.
3. Reduced Risk of Heart Attack
By restoring blood flow, angioplasty significantly lowers the risk of heart attacks.
4. Short Hospital Stay
Patients typically have shorter hospital stays and quicker return to normal activities.
Who Can Benefit from Angiography and Angioplasty?
These procedures are beneficial for patients with:
- Symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
- Risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and a family history of heart disease.
- Risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and a family history of heart disease.
The Procedure: What to Expect
Undergoing angiography and angioplasty involves several important steps:
Pre-Procedure Assessment
Comprehensive evaluations, including medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests, to determine the need for angiography or angioplasty.
Procedure Day
Both procedures are typically performed in a catheterization laboratory under local anesthesia with sedation.
Post-Procedure Care
Patients are monitored in a recovery area, with most discharged within a day or two. Follow-up appointments are scheduled to monitor progress and manage any risk factors.
