Early Intervention Can Reduce Your Risk of a Heart Attack

A PCI procedure clears blockages that reduce blood flow to heart muscle (myocardium). Most of these blockages result from plaque buildup, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

PCI or PTCA treats conditions resulting from atherosclerosis, including:

• Coronary artery disease (CAD): Plaque buildup in the coronary (heart) artery
• Angina: Chest pain due to CAD that can be stable (predictable and occurs with exertion) or unstable (an emergency condition)
• Heart attack: An acute (sudden) or gradual complete blockage of the coronary artery due to plaque breaking off, causing a blood clot to form in the artery

PTCA is a safe and reliable treatment for most people with CAD who have significant blockages or narrowing (stenosis) of the coronary arteries. If the blockage is in your left main coronary artery, your doctor might recommend a different treatment.

Getting care right away after a heart attack can minimize heart damage and help you recover faster. Equipped with specialized resources to treat complex heart attacks, our doctors perform angioplasty immediately if you have a type of heart attack called an ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). (ST refers to changes in a specific heart rhythm.) A less severe heart attack, a non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is a medical emergency, but you may be able to wait up to 48 hours for PCI.

With access to a range of techniques, our doctors can treat patients with blocked or narrowed coronary arteries without surgery. These techniques include:

• Atherectomy: Plaque removal from the artery with a tiny cutting tool on the end of the catheter
• Balloon angioplasty: A tiny balloon expanded inside the artery to press plaque against the artery walls and open the blood vessel
• Intravascular lithotripsy: Ultrasound pulses that are delivered to a blockage to help break apart calcium buildup that restricts blood flow
• Laser angioplasty: A laser on the end of the catheter that removes plaque from the artery
• PCI with stenting: A thin mesh tube (stent) placed inside the blood vessel to hold it open permanently
• Percutaneous thrombectomy: Tools and sometimes medicines used through the catheter to break up or remove a blood clot from the artery

Our doctors often use a drug-coated balloon or drug-coated stent. These devices contain medications to help prevent clots.

An interventional cardiologist (doctor specializing in catheter-based procedures) performs a PCI or PTCA procedure in our cath lab. The cath lab has several large screens that show views of your heart and blood vessels.

You will have local anesthesia, and you may have a sedative to help you stay calm and still. The procedure generally takes from 30 minutes to three hours, depending on the type and location of blockages.

During the procedure, our doctors:

1. Make a puncture (a small hole, about the size of a needle poke) in an artery, usually in your groin or upper thigh
2. Insert a sheath, a small tube to hold open your artery
3. Use X-rays to guide them in inserting a wire through your artery to the blockage
4. Thread a catheter over the wire to deliver a balloon, stent or other tools
5. Open the balloon, use tools to remove plaque and place a stent as needed
6. Inject dye through the catheter into the artery to evaluate blood flow and check for other blockages
7. Carefully remove the catheter and guidewire and bandage the puncture

At MoBap, our team of heart specialists will support you from treatment recommendation to recovery ensuring you understand your diagnosis.

PCI or PTCA is a potentially lifesaving procedure to treat or prevent a heart attack. In minutes, it can clear blockages in the arteries and restore blood flow to heart muscle. At MoBap, our team of heart specialists works together to provide individualized care for your heart’s needs.

This alternative to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is available to many people. Because there’s no incision, you typically go home sooner and have a much faster recovery than after an open-chest procedure. In about 90% of patients, PCI successfully widens the coronary arteries. The procedure can significantly improve blood flow to help you feel better and get back to enjoying your life.

Before a cardiac cath procedure, our doctors may recommend diagnostic tests to check your heart’s function and help your heart team prepare for the procedure. Your cardiologist may order:

• Blood work: Blood tests can show how your blood clots, how well your liver and kidneys are working, and whether you have signs of infection.
• Cardiac imaging: CT or MRI scans of your heart can show your heart and blood vessels, including blockages or narrowing.
• Chest X-ray: The doctor can view images of your chest structures, major blood vessels, heart and lungs.
• Echocardiography (echo): Sound waves (ultrasound) create a picture of your heart to show blockages or structural problems with your heart.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): This quick test tells doctors about your heart’s electrical activity, including signs of a heart attack.

After a coronary angioplasty and stenting, you recover for several hours. Most people stay in the hospital overnight. You’ll be able to walk around a few hours after the procedure.

Your doctor will give you clear instructions on what you can do during your recovery and what needs to wait. You may be able to return to work and driving within a few days to a week.

Your doctor may recommend cardiac rehabilitation to help you rebuild strength after a heart attack or PTCA. If so, our skilled team of nurses and exercise physiologists will work with you to complete cardiac rehab and get you back to your active life.

If you have PCI with stenting, your doctor will prescribe medications to reduce the risk of blood clots. Your care team will explain how to take this medication. Our nurses and dietitians can help you craft a healthy lifestyle after PTCA that will give you the best chance of maintaining your results.

When you have coronary angioplasty or receive a stent, you’ll receive care from interventional cardiologists (heart doctors who perform minimally invasive treatments). You may also receive care from noninterventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists (doctors specializing in the heart’s rhythm).

To schedule an appointment with a MoBap heart specialist, call 314-860-7076 or fill out a contact form.

Meet our team of cardiologists.