MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:Coronary artery balloon angioplasty

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Coronary artery balloon angioplasty - series: Indication

Coronary artery balloon angioplasty - seriesIllustrations:

Indication

Fat and cholesterol accumulates on the inside of arteries (atherosclerosis). The small arteries of the heart muscle (the coronary arteries) can be narrowed or blocked by this accumulation. If the narrowing is small, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or PTCA for short, may be the course for treatment. PTCA is a minimally invasive procedure to open up blocked coronary arteries, allowing blood to circulate unobstructed to the heart muscle. The indications for PTCA are:

Persistent chest pain (angina)
Blockage of only one or two coronary arteries

Update Date: 3/30/2007

Updated by: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, and Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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