Treating heart disease usually begins with lifestyle changes and/or medications that help improve blood flow to your heart muscle.
However, your angiogram will clearly show the blockage in your coronary arteries. I always make sure to explain ALL available treatment options to my patients.
The treatment that's best for you depends on:
- How bad your heart disease and symptoms are
- Location and severity of the heart vessel blockages
- Any other medical conditions that you may have
- Your ability to take long-term blood thinning tablets
- Your lifestyle
- Your preferred treatment
I emphasized the last point, because at the end of the day, our job as doctors is simply to give you the best advice on all your available treatment options.
Indeed, an angioplasty may NOT be the best treatment in the following situations:
- You've got many narrowed areas in several different heart vessels
- There is a very tight blockage in your heart vessel
- The catheter cannot reach a blockage because of a tight corner
This is why I always tell my patients that it's important they take the time to understand all their treatment options.
