How to Diagnose Heart Blood Vessel Blockages with Angiogram and Treat with Angioplasty & Stent
Heart disease is one of the most common health problems worldwide. Many people experience chest pain, shortness of breath, or fatigue, which can sometimes be caused by blockages in the coronary arteries — the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart. Modern medical science offers advanced tools to diagnose and treat these blockages effectively.
One of the most common methods is coronary angiography (angiogram) for diagnosis, followed by angioplasty and stent placement for treatment.
1. What is an Angiogram?
An angiogram is a special X-ray test used to check for blockages or narrowing in the heart’s blood vessels.
- A thin tube called a catheter is inserted (usually through the wrist or groin).
- A special contrast dye is injected into the coronary arteries.
- X-ray images are taken to show if there are blockages, and how severe they are.
👉 When doctors recommend angiogram:
- Chest pain (angina)
- Shortness of breath
- Abnormal results in stress test or ECG
- After a heart attack
- Troponin positive in blood test
2. How Doctors Diagnose Blockages
During the angiogram, doctors carefully examine the images.
- Mild blockage (<50%) – usually managed with medicines and lifestyle changes.
- Moderate blockage (50–70%) – may need closer monitoring or angioplasty if symptoms persist.
- Severe blockage (>70%) – often requires angioplasty with stent or bypass surgery.
3. What is Angioplasty?
If the angiogram shows significant blockages, doctors may perform an angioplasty in the same procedure.
- A balloon-tipped catheter is inserted into the blocked artery.
- The balloon is inflated to widen the artery.
- To keep the artery open, a stent (a small mesh tube) is placed.
- This procedure is called Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).
4. What is a Stent?
A stent is a small metal mesh tube that stays permanently inside the artery to keep it open.
- Bare-metal stents (BMS): Simple mesh tube, less used nowadays.
- Drug-eluting stents (DES): Coated with medicine to reduce the chance of re-blockage.
- Stent placement greatly improves blood flow, reduces chest pain, and prevents heart attacks.
5. Recovery After Angioplasty & Stent
- Hospital stay: usually 1–2 days.
- Resume light activities: in a few days.
- Medications: Blood thinners (like aspirin and clopidogrel) are essential to prevent clot formation.
- Lifestyle changes: Healthy diet, regular exercise, no smoking, diabetes & blood pressure control.
6. Risks and Precautions
Like any procedure, angioplasty has some risks (though rare):
- Bleeding at catheter site
- Blood clots inside the stent
- Re-narrowing of artery (less common with modern stents)
- Doctors usually minimize these risks with proper medications and monitoring.
7. Key Takeaway
- Angiogram = Best test to diagnose heart blood vessel blockages.
- Angioplasty & stent = Effective, minimally invasive treatment to restore blood flow.
- With early diagnosis, correct treatment, and lifestyle changes, patients can live a healthy, active life.
✨ In short: If you have persistent chest pain, breathlessness, or a history of heart disease, don’t ignore it. An angiogram can save your life, and angioplasty with stent placement can restore normal heart function.
Angiogram & Angioplasty Real video in hospital :