Arteries of human heart may sometimes become narrow or blocked particularly because of the formation of cholesterol, plaque and cells. This may reduce the flow of blood from the heart and create discomfort in your chest. Sometimes, clotting of blood may become worse all of a sudden and creates blockage in the blood flow completely resulting in a heart attack. Hence, in order to avoid the problem mentioned here, cardiologists perform a process called angioplasty.
Coronary angioplasty or simply angioplasty refers to a process intended to make obstructed or narrowed veins and arteries of the heart wide to help patients suffering from the problem of coronary arteries. In fact, the procedure may prove to be a lifesaving one, especially for those individuals, who have dealt with the problem of heart attack in the past and require help to maintain the adequate amount of blood flow and improvement in the quality of the life they lead. Even doctors may perform this process during emergencies and within 12 hours after patients suffer from heart attack.
What Exactly Angioplasty Does?
The main role of angioplasty procedure lies in the opening of various blocked arteries and the restoration of normal flow of blood towards the heart muscles. For this, doctors thread a catheter or a small and a thin tube via a small puncture in the arteries present in one’s arm or leg to his heart. In simple words, inflating a small balloon helps in opening of a blocked artery.
Why People Need Angioplasty?
People suffering from the problem of blockages in the arteries of their heart may require angioplasty procedure. Particularly, a person should undergo this process if he/she experiences a huge discomfort in the chest or if the blockages present in the heart arteries put him at a huge risk related to a heart attack or even a death.
How Long Can a Person Live After Angioplasty?
The numbers of years, for which a patient may expect to live after the angioplasty procedure depends on his/ her current heart problems, medical condition and the age. For instance, any young person with strong heart and who remains free from heart attack or any other similar type of cardiac problem may expect to live an active and a full lifespan. On the other side, a person in his 70s or 80s and has a relatively weak heart because of multiple heart attacks in the past as well as suffers from severe medical issues, may incorporate short life expectancy. Individuals should essentially keep in their minds that cardiologists perform the process of angioplasty or insert a stent to let their patients feel better.
In order to achieve improvement in the quality of life via angioplasty procedure, patients should bring the following important changes in their daily lifestyle and at the same time, reduce the various risk factors as possible. Particularly, doctors often recommend their patients to do the following-
- Maintain an active lifestyle via regular physical workout and walking
- Manage the levels of cholesterol (especially the bad cholesterol) in the human body by making a habit of healthy diet
- Avoid smoking of cigarettes
- Manage the levels of diabetes
- Strictly follow the medical plan, as prescribed by your doctor
- Take a proper diet and consume the necessary nutritious food items after you undergo with angioplasty procedure
A majority of patients, who followed the aforementioned ways, have succeeded to lead a comfortable life as follows-
- A drastic reduction in the life alteration type of chest pain
- Elimination of fatigue and breathing shortness
- Channeling of blood flow towards the heart in a better way
- Reduction in the damage of heart muscles caused from heart attack.