Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting in Florence, Mesa, and Payson

What is Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting?

Coronary angioplasty and stenting are medical procedures to help improve blood flow to the heart. They are typically used to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), which causes damage or disease in the heart’s major blood vessels due to the buildup of plaque. If you have narrow arteries, the blood is not able to flow as well and may pose a risk. CAD can result in chest pain or a heart attack, but often Western Vascular Institute will try to treat symptoms with lifestyle changes, medication, or surgery.

At Western Vascular Institute, we are dedicated to helping you achieve better heart health through advanced procedures like coronary angioplasty and stenting. With locations in Mesa, Florence, and Payson, AZ, our team of experienced specialists provides compassionate care close to home.

Take the first step towards a healthier heart today by scheduling your appointment with Western Vascular Institute. Call us at (480) 668-5000 or use our convenient online appointment request form to get started.

What are the Benefits of Balloon Angioplasty?

The primary goal of coronary angioplasty and stenting is to restore proper blood flow to the heart muscle by opening narrowed or blocked coronary arteries.

These procedures can:

• Relieve chest pain
• Improve quality of life
• Restore blood flow
• Reduce risk of heart attacks
• Engage in physical activities more comfortably
• Give you more peace of mind

What is Stenting?

Coronary stents are now used in nearly all angioplasty procedures.

A stent is:

• A tiny, expandable metal mesh coil
• Put into the newly opened area of the artery
• Helps keep the artery from narrowing or closing again
• Coated by tissue after it has been placed within a few months
• Sometimes coated with medicine to prevent scar tissue from forming inside the stent (drug-eluting stents or DES)
• Sometimes not medically coated to avoid having to take medicines (bare metal stents or BMS)

The Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting Procedure

Angioplasty

The first step of the procedure is balloon angioplasty:

• You’ll be given local anesthesia to numb the area where a thin, flexible tube (catheter) will be inserted, typically in the groin or wrist
• Your doctor will thread the catheter through your blood vessels until it reaches the coronary arteries
• A small balloon attached to the catheter is inflated at the site of the blockage
• The balloon compresses the plaque against the artery walls, widening the artery

Stent Placement

After angioplasty, a stent is often placed in the treated artery to help keep it open. A stent is a metal mesh tube that acts as a scaffold.

The stent:

• Is inserted over a deflated balloon on the catheter
• Is positioned at the site of the blockage
• Is expanded when the balloon is inflated, pressing it against the artery walls
• Remains in place permanently
• Acts as a support to keep the artery open

Am I a Candidate?

This procedure is performed after you have discussed your medical history with your surgeon. We will review your situation to see the best solution for your heart. If you are experiencing symptoms related to coronary artery disease, this may be the right surgery for you. Not all coronary artery disease can be treated with balloon angioplasty.

Controlling Blood Flow to the Heart

Coronary angioplasty and stenting are essential interventions for treating coronary artery disease and improving heart health. These procedures are generally safe and highly effective in relieving symptoms and reducing the risk of heart-related complications.

After coronary angioplasty and stenting, your surgeon will pay close attention to the rate of blood flow.

What to expect regarding blood flow and these procedures:

• Tell Western Vascular Institute if you have a history of bleeding disorders
• Discuss if you are taking any blood-thinning medicines (anticoagulant or antiplatelet), aspirin, or other medicines that affect blood clotting
• You may need to stop some of these medicines before the procedure
• For planned angioplasty procedures, your physician may want you to continue taking aspirin and antiplatelet medicines, so be sure to ask
• Your provider may request a blood test before the procedure to find out how long it takes your blood to clot
• You may be prescribed medicines called antiplatelets to decrease the “stickiness” of platelets, which are blood cells that clump together to stop bleeding
• The medicine can also prevent blood clots from forming inside the stent
  Western Vascular Institute will give specific instructions on which medicines need to be taken and for how long

Sources
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healt/htreatment-tests-and-therapies/angioplasty-and-stent-placement-for-the-heart