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Percutaneous coronary intervention is a minimally invasive procedure to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. If you have coronary artery disease (CAD) and steps such as lifestyle changes and medication haven’t improved your condition satisfactorily, you may be a candidate for this procedure.
Percutaneous coronary intervention, commonly known as PCI or balloon angioplasty, can be performed as an emergency to restore blood flow amid a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. PCI is also used to widen a narrowed or partially blocked artery before the condition becomes life-threatening.
Coronary artery disease typically is caused by a buildup of fatty deposits or plaque — a mixture of cholesterol, calcium and other substances — in the arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle. This buildup, known as atherosclerosis, can have many causes, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Atherosclerosis also tends to run in families, so a family history of early heart disease or stroke is something to discuss with your medical provider.
For some, the first sign of coronary artery disease is a heart attack. Earlier symptoms can include chest pain (angina) caused by limited blood flow to the heart muscle – think of a leg cramp caused by reduced blood flow.
Heart attack symptoms aren’t always what you may think, especially in women.
PCI is not the first treatment for coronary artery disease. Often, lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating healthier and exercising more can improve the condition. Medical therapy typically involves two types of drugs: antiplatelets to prevent blood clots, and statins to protect the blood vessels. Additional medication may be necessary to address risk factors such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Coronary artery bypass surgery is another, more invasive and more complex, treatment for coronary artery disease. Coronary artery bypass surgery, or a coronary artery bypass graft, is a form of open heart surgery where one or more healthy arteries or veins are taken from elsewhere in the body and grafted in place to bypass the diseased coronary arteries.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute is a leader in PCI. Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital and Norton Hospital have been accredited by the American College of Cardiology as chest pain centers with primary PCI, meaning they are available around the clock to perform percutaneous coronary interventions.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute physicians are at the forefront of cardiovascular care, such as the CathWorks system for faster PCI treatment. They lead numerous clinical trials into new and experimental treatments. That means patients can get early access to leading-edge therapies, and once the treatments are approved for broad use, our physicians are already deeply experienced.
The PCI procedure involves inserting a thin tube, called a catheter, through a blood vessel (usually in the femoral artery in the groin or a radial artery in the wrist). The catheter is threaded through the blood vessel to access the coronary arteries. Once the catheter reaches the narrowed area, a small balloon is inflated to widen the narrowing and help keep the artery open. In many cases, a stent (a tiny mesh tube) is placed in the artery to help keep it open and allow normal blood flow to return to the heart. The stent may deliver medication (a drug-eluting stent) to help prevent plaque buildup.
Norton Heart and Vascular Institute is the first health care system in Louisville to use the CathWorks FFRangio System to more precisely locate the area of blocked artery using routine angiogram X-ray images of your coronary arteries. The CathWorks system uses artificial intelligence to generate 3D images of the location and degree of any blockages. The 3D image shows the optimal location to place a coronary stent, if one is necessary to open a blocked coronary artery.
This helps your interventional cardiologist more quickly diagnose and start the PCI — that is valuable time and precision if you’re having a heart attack.
PCI also is used in nonemergency cases for heart disease patients when a blockage has been identified. In these cases, coronary angioplasty to widen a narrowed artery can reduce chest pain (angina) by improving blood flow to the heart muscle and reducing the risk of heart attack.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute offers advanced care at all of our adult-service hospitals to save hearts and lives.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute offers patient resources to support you and your family, including free classes for people of all ages who want to improve cardiovascular health or are living with a heart condition.