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Angioplasty for Heart Attack and Unstable Angina
Risks of angioplasty include:
- Bleeding at the puncture site.
- Damage to the blood vessel at the puncture site.
- Sudden closure of the coronary artery.
- Small tear in the inner lining of the artery.
- Heart attack.
- Need for additional procedures. Angioplasty may increase the risk of needing urgent bypass surgery. Also, the repaired artery can renarrow (restenosis) and a repeat angioplasty may need to be done.
- Reclosure of the dilated blood vessel (restenosis).
- Death. The risk of death is higher when more than one artery is involved.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: April 4, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine John M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology | |
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