angiopathy -Procedures, Side effects, Recovery time, Costs and alternatives

Coronary Angioplasty is a procedure that is used for opening clogged arteries of the heart. In this procedure where the artery is clogged a small balloon is inflated to help widen the clogged artery. This procedure can improve the symptoms of a blocked artery, like shortness of breath and chest pain. Coronary angioplasty is also used in case of a heart attack for opening the blocked artery quickly, thus reducing the amount of damage to the heart.

The patient may need a coronary angioplasty in the following conditions:

1. When treating a heart disease called atherosclerosis. It is a condition when fatty plaques are built up in the blood vessels of the heart, which leadsto a coronary heart disease. Angioplasty is suggested as a treatment option when the medicines prescribed or changes in lifestyle are not enough for improving the condition of the heart.
2. It is also needed as an emergency treatment for a patient who suffered a heart attack.
3. Angina a chest pain which is caused due to reduction of the blood flow to the heart, or other symptoms. It may be treated with medications, but in severe cases, angioplasty is required for restoring the blood supply to your heart.

There are several more treatments the doctor will choose from. They include:

1. Balloon: A catheter with a small balloon tip is guided to the narrowing in the patient’s artery. When it reaches to the place where artery is narrowed the balloon is inflated to push the plaque and stretch the artery open to boost blood flow to the heart.
2. Stent: It is a small tube that acts as a scaffold to support the inside of the patient’s coronary artery. A balloon catheter, placed over a guide wire, puts the stent into the narrowed coronary artery. Once it is in narrowed place, the balloon is inflated, and the stent expands to the size of the artery and holds it open. The balloon is then deflated and taken out while the stent stays in place. Over several weeks, the patient’s artery heals around the stent.These stents are often placed during angioplasty to help keep the coronary artery open. The stent is usually made up of metal.Some of the stents contain medicine and are designed to reduce the risk of the artery getting blocked again. The doctor will decide what is right for the patient’s blockage.
3. Rotablation: It is a special catheter with an acorn-shaped diamond-coated tip. It is guided to the point of the narrowing in the patient’s coronary artery. The tip of the catheter spins at a high speed and grinds away the plaque on the patient’s artery walls. The microscopic particles are washed away in the bloodstream. This process is repeated to improve blood flow.This procedure is used rarely because balloon angioplasty and stenting provide much better results. Also they’re also easier for the cardiologist to perform.
4. Atherectomy: In this procedure the catheter used here has a hollow cylinder on the tip of the catheter with an open window on one side and a balloon on the other. When the catheter is put into the narrowed artery, the balloon is inflated inside, pushing the window against the plaque. A blade in the cylinder rotates and shaves off plaque that protrudes into the window. The plaques that is shaved are caught in the catheter chamber and removed. This process is repeated to allow for better blood flow if needed. This procedure also isn’t used much like rotablation.
5. Cutting balloon: This catheter has a special balloon tip with small blades. When the balloon is inflated inside the narrowed place of the artery then the blades are activated. The small blades remove the plaque and then the balloon presses the plaque against the artery wall.

There are certain guidelines that are needed to be followed before an angioplasty is performed:

• The doctor conducts a physical exam and reviews the patient’s medical history.Coronary angiogram is conducted for seeing if the blockages can be treated by angioplasty.
• Generally the patient have to stop eating or drinking anything 6 to 8 hours before the procedure has been scheduled.
• Normal routine tests like electrocardiogram, blood tests and X-ray of the chest will be conducted.

During Procedure

The procedure of angioplasty involves the following steps: A local anaesthesia will be administered for numbing the area where the catheter is to be inserted.For accessing an artery a small cut is made in the skin after numbing the area.With the catheter a thin guide wire is inserted in the artery so that it reaches the blockage in the heart. A small amount of dye is injected through the catheter for the doctor to look at the blockages in an X-ray image. At the end of the catheter a small balloon is inflated so that the blocked artery can be widened. Once the artery has been stretched, the balloon will be deflated and removed. In cases of several blockages this process can be repeated more than once.

First, the doctor will have what’s called a cardiac catheterization. Medicationwill be given to relax the patient, then the doctor will numb where the catheter will go with anaesthesia.

Next, a thin plastic tube called a sheath is inserted into an artery sometimes in the groin, sometimes in the arm. A long narrow hollow catheter is passed through the sheath and guided up a bloodvessel to the arteries surrounding the heart.

A small amount of contrast liquid is put into the patient’s blood vessel through the catheter. It’s photographed with an X-ray as it moves through the patient’s heart's chambers, valves, and major vessels. From those pictures, doctors can tell if the patient’s coronary arteries are narrowed and, in some cases, whether the heart valves are working correctly or not

If the doctor decides to perform angioplasty, he/ she will move the catheter into the artery that’s blocked. The doctor will then perform one of the procedures such as balloon angioplasty, stent, rotablation, atherectomy, cutting balloon.

Anyone can get this treatment at least once or twice a year. The dentist would advise upon having these treatments twice in a year. It is a necessary treatment which most people ignore. Anyone can have these teeth cleaning sessions at their convenience and not wait for something to go wrong in their teeth before undergoing teeth cleaning. Teeth cleaning is most advisable for children who are more prone to cavities.

Anyone can have teeth cleaning irrespective of the age or gender. The patient might be having initial apprehensions about the treatment as it involves prodding, cleansing, and a mild jaw discomfort. Should consult with the doctor about the fear and the needs. If someone is a heart patient, the dentist should be informed before so that some of the parts of the treatment may not be performed.

The possible side effects are : Episodes of confusion, Headaches that come and go, Loss of mental function (dementia) etc. In case any of these side effects persists or there any other health issues arising during or after treatment, it is advised to kindly consult the health specialist immediately.

Some of the post treatment guidelines are if the patient had undergone a non-emergency angioplasty he/she will be kept in supervision for a day while his/herheart will be monitored and medicines will be adjusted according to that. Anyone after angioplasty is more likely to resume his/her normal activities within a week after the procedure. The hospital stay and the recovery period will be longer if the patient had undergone angioplasty for a heart attack.

Once the patient is back home drink a lot of water and other fluids for washing out the dye that has been used in the angioplasty. Avoid lifting heavy objects and doing strength exercises for 1 to 2 days.

Medical help is to be taken in case of:

1. Swelling or bleeding in the area where the catheter had been inserted.
2. Feeling pain or discomfort in that area.
3. Fever, redness or other signs of infection.
4. Weakness or faintness.
5. Chest pain or shortness of breath.

The recovery time for the patient varies from patient to patient based on his or her health condition . Recovery from angioplasty and stenting does not take much time. The patient is discharged from the hospital in usually 12 to 24 hours after the catheter is removed. Many patients are able to return to work within a few days after this procedure.

The cost of an angioplasty package is anywhere between Rs.100000 and Rs.300000. The total cost depends upon hospital in which treatment is being taken. Also it depends on number of stents and type of stent, facility, type of room and the location.

Angioplasty will open a blocked artery, but it won’t cure coronary artery disease. Lifestyle details like smoking and unhealthy diet will still need some tweaking. The patient will be given an exercise program to follow. He/ she may need to take one or more medicines, too.

If any person feel chest pain like similar to cardiac attack doctors can give powerful clot-dissolving drugs and drugs to lower their cholesterol and wait to see whether the chest pains go away. If they do like this then angioplasty is not necessary.

Chelation therapy is also an alternative which can make individuals have proper cardiovascular health ability to indulge in good physical activities without inviting cramps or other inconvenience. Also provide better vision, hearing, clear memory and proper concentration

Chelation therapy is based on a chemical process to remove toxic metals and minerals in our body. The process of Chelation therapy involves minerals and heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, calcium, copper, iron and many more. EDTA – ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid it is a water soluble amino acid complex. This is the main solution that is injected into the body for detoxification or coronary heart disease treatment