Interventional Cardiology

Home » Interventional Cardiology » Risks, Complications

Risks

Interventional cardiology procedures are not recommended for all heart patients and decisions about interventional treatments are made on a patient-by-patient basis. In some cases, treatment with medications or conventional heart surgery is a better option. For example, people with diabetes and other chronic conditions and patients who have a weak heart muscle, calcification of the aortic valve, diseased blood vessels, or multiple artery blockages may not be good candidates for interventional procedures.

There are risks associated with interventional cardiology procedures. Risks of angioplasty include the following:

• Heart attack—In rare cases, a patient may have a heart attack during angioplasty.
• Stroke—Blood clots may form on catheters and break loose during the procedure or catheter movement through the aorta may free plaque in the heart. If these particles reach the brain, stroke can occur. Patients are given blood thinners before angioplasty to help prevent stroke.
• Coronary artery damage—Arteries can be torn or ruptured during angioplasty. If this occurs, emergency bypass surgery is performed.
• Kidney damage—Dyes used in angioplasty can damage the kidneys.
• Heart rhythm problems—Angioplasty can disturb the heart so that it beats more quickly or more slowly than usual. This often resolves on its own, but patients may need medication or a temporary pacemaker to regulate the heartbeat.

Complications

Some complications of interventional cardiology procedures, particularly angioplasty, include the following:

• Bleeding at the catheter insertion site—Patients with excessive bleeding may need a blood transfusion or surgery.
• Blood clots—Patients with stents have an increased risk for developing blood clots. Blood-thinning medications (e.g., aspirin, clopidogrel) can reduce this risk, but they must be taken exactly as prescribed. Blood clots can form as long as a year after the stenting procedure, so patients should not stop any medication without the approval of their physician.
• Restenosis—In some cases, the artery narrows again, sometimes just months after angioplasty. This occurs in approximately 30–40% of patients who have angioplasty without stents, in less than 20% of patients who receive bare metal stents, and in less than 10% of patients who receive drug-eluting stents.

Due to electromagnetic radio waves produced by magnetic resonance imaging, patients who have stents must get a cardiologist's approval before having an MRI scan.

© 1998-2009 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Interventional Cardiology Resources

	Questions to Ask Your Cardiac Care Team The more knowledge you have, the easier it is to make decisions about your heart condition. Print this free handout to take with you on your next office visit.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Join Our Interventional Cardiology Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar. Advertising Disclaimer