Angioplasty and Stent: What the Heart Procedure Involves
Angioplasty with a stent opens narrowed arteries that supply the heart. This article explains why it is used, what happens during the procedure and what recovery involves.
Scientist and Chief Medical OfficerDr. Ambed Mishra, PharmD, PhDEducational information only, not medical advice. Always ask a qualified doctor about your own health. In an emergency call 112 (India) or 911 (US). Read the full disclaimer.
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Angioplasty with a stent is one of the most common procedures used to treat narrowed heart arteries. This article explains what the NHS and other official sources say about why it is done, what happens and what recovery may involve. Your own doctor decides whether it is suitable for you.
What is coronary angioplasty?
The NHS says coronary angioplasty is a procedure that widens blocked or narrowed coronary arteries, the main blood vessels that supply the heart. A small balloon stretches the artery open, and most modern procedures also insert a stent. A stent is a short wire mesh tube that stays in the artery afterwards to help blood flow. Angioplasty with stenting is usually called percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI.
Why is it done?
The NHS explains that atherosclerosis can narrow and harden the coronary arteries, causing coronary heart disease. Restricted blood flow can cause angina, usually triggered by physical activity or stress. Angioplasty may be needed when medication is not effective in severe cases. It is also often used as emergency treatment after a heart attack. The NHS says that in most cases blood flow improves and symptoms are much better, and that after a heart attack it can improve survival compared with clot-busting medicine and reduce the chance of another heart attack.
MedlinePlus lists angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention, and bypass surgery as procedures used to treat heart attack.
What happens during the procedure?
The NHS describes these steps:
- It is done under local anaesthetic, so you are awake.
- A catheter, which is a thin tube, is inserted through an artery in the groin, wrist or arm and guided to the affected coronary artery using X-ray video.
- A wire guides a small balloon to the narrowed section, which is inflated to widen the artery.
- If a stent is used, it is placed around the balloon, expands when the balloon inflates, and stays in place after the balloon is removed.
The procedure usually takes 30 minutes to 2 hours. Before it, an angiogram is often done to find the narrowing. You can read about this test in our separate article on coronary angiography.
Recovery
According to the NHS, if angioplasty was done for angina you can usually go home the same day or the day after. After a heart attack you may need to stay in hospital for several days. You should avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activity and driving for at least a week. Your team will give advice on medicines, wound care and when to return to normal life. Ask about cardiac rehabilitation, which the CDC describes as a supervised programme with activity, education and support.
Risks
The NHS says angioplasty is minimally invasive and usually carried out safely. The risk of serious complications is generally small but depends on factors such as age, general health and whether you have had a heart attack. Serious problems that can occur include excessive bleeding, heart attack and stroke. Ask your doctor to explain the risks and benefits for your situation before you agree.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if you have chest pain, breathlessness or other symptoms that could be related to your heart. After a procedure, contact your care team if the puncture site bleeds, swells or becomes painful, or if your symptoms return.
Call emergency services at once for chest pain that does not stop, pain spreading to the arms, neck or jaw, severe breathing difficulty, or chest pain with sweating, sickness or light-headedness. The NHS advises not to drive yourself to hospital.
In an emergency, call your local emergency number (112 in India, 911 in the United States).
Common questions
What is a stent?
The NHS describes a stent as a short wire mesh tube that is placed during angioplasty and stays in the artery afterwards to help blood flow.
Are you awake during angioplasty?
Yes. The NHS says it is done under local anaesthetic, so you are awake.
How long does recovery take?
The NHS says people treated for angina can usually go home the same day or next day. After a heart attack you may stay several days. Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activity and driving for at least a week.
What are the risks?
The NHS says serious problems that can occur include excessive bleeding, heart attack and stroke, though serious complications are generally small in risk.
Important: please read
- Educational information only. This article is general health education. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Reading it does not create a doctor–patient relationship with MyDoctor or with anyone else.
- Ask a qualified doctor. Always talk to a qualified, registered doctor about your own health. In India, that means a doctor registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC) or a State Medical Council. In the United States, a licensed physician. Elsewhere, a doctor licensed where you live.
- Never ignore or delay professional advice because of something you read here. Do not start, stop or change any medicine or treatment without your doctor.
- Emergencies: call 112 in India, 911 in the United States, or your local emergency number. Do not wait for an online answer.
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- About the sources. This article summarises, in our own words, information from the public health bodies named under Sources. Health knowledge changes, and this summary may not reflect the latest research or your personal situation.
- Liability. To the extent permitted by law, MyDoctor (MODERNUS HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED) accepts no liability for any decision made on the basis of this content.
Sources
- NHS. Coronary angioplasty - NHS www.nhs.uk
- NIH MedlinePlus. Heart attack - MedlinePlus medlineplus.gov
- CDC. Heart Attack - CDC www.cdc.gov
Dr. Ambed Mishra, PharmD, PhD
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Dr. Ambed Mishra is a clinical (patient care) scientist, author and former professor. He is Group CEO and Chief Medical Officer of MODERN US HEALTH (MODERN US GROUP), Austin, Texas, the group behind MyDoctor, and a senior consultant who teaches and trains MD/DO physicians, PharmD and PhD professionals, nurses and other healthcare professionals in patient care in the United States and India.
More about Dr. Ambed Mishra
- More than ten years of full-time leadership in United States healthcare, building patient care services that improve medication adherence and bring doctors, pharmacists and nurses together around each patient.
- Leads the MD and engineering teams behind MyDoctor: clinic and hospital management software, electronic health records and telehealth for hospitals and physician groups in the United States and India.
- Former Assistant Professor and Clinical Preceptor at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, and senior researcher with hospitals, universities and patient care groups in India and the United States.
- More than 30 published research and review articles and case reports, and more than 15 international conference presentations in India, Australia, Canada, the United States, Spain and other countries.
- Chief Medical Officer and Global Program Head of a nonprofit mission that helps cover hospital and doctor visit bills for patients in need in India, Nepal, the United States and other countries.
The author's office answers questions about articles, research, speaking and collaboration. It cannot give personal medical advice.