Balloon Angioplasty
What is a balloon angioplasty?
A non-surgical procedure where a special catheter with a small balloon on the end is guided to the artery that has narrowed. Once the catheter is in place the balloon is inflated to relieve the obstruction of the arteries, which allows more blood and oxygen to be delivered to the heart.
How do I prepare for Balloon Angioplasty?
Patients are usually told not to eat or drink anything after midnight of the night before the procedure .
If you have diabetes, you should talk to your doctor about your food and insulin intake since not eating can affect your blood sugar levels.
Talk to your doctor about any medicines that you are taking because he or she may want you to stop taking them before the procedure. This is especially important if you are taking certain blood-thinning medications. It may be helpful to bring a list of your medicines with you to the procedure so that the doctors know exactly what you are taking and how much. You will most likely have blood tests, an electrocardiogram, and a chest x-ray taken before the procedure.
