What is interventional cardiology?

A number of cardiac conditions can be treated non-surgically with interventional cardiology.To learn more about interventional cardiology and the issues it can treat, we met with Dr. Kare Tang, a well-known consultant cardiologist with vast experience in the field who is based in London, Colchester, and Basildon.

What does interventional cardiology involve?

Within the field of cardiology, interventional cardiology focuses on treating structural heart problems using catheters.The majority of the operations are performed on the cardiovascular system, which consists of your heart, arteries, and veins.This cardiology subspecialty uses a few millimeter needle punctures as a minimally invasive treatment method; no big incisions or internal instrument entry is necessary.

What conditions does interventional cardiology treat?

Treatment for vascular disease, acquired structural heart disease, and coronary artery disease is its main focus.When a doctor believes coronary artery disease is contributing to ischemic heart disease, which is the name for heart issues that constrict the arteries, they evaluate and treat the condition.This encompasses the entire range of ailments, from heart attacks to stable angina.

Treatment includes minimally invasive coronary artery studies using pressure wires (iFR/FFR), intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS), and optical coherent tomography (OCT), as well as non-surgical procedures with balloons and stents.Under local anesthesia, a catheter is inserted into an artery in the wrist or groyne to perform all of these therapies.

How are patients prepared for a procedure?

Patients usually come as outpatients, though occasionally they might have to spend the night in the hospital.The patient is advised to take clopidogrel and aspirin before to the surgery.Metformin for diabetes or other blood thinners are usually stopped 1-2 days beforehand.Because the dye used in the treatment can alter renal function, blood tests, kidney function testing, and a complete blood count will be required.Because the surgery is performed under local anesthesia, the patient often just needs to refrain from eating or drinking two hours prior to the procedure.

How effective is interventional cardiology?

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the term most commonly associated with interventional cardiology. In this procedure, medical professionals treat coronary narrowings or blockages using balloons coated with drugs or metallic stents.They work wonders to improve the patient’s heart health and get rid of angina symptoms.With a 1% complication rate, interventional cardiology is generally quite safe.

What does aftercare involve?

What is interventional cardiology?

Recuperation is not too difficult.If the expert entered the wrist via the radial artery, there is typically a tiny needle puncture wound.In order to halt any bleeding from the high-pressure artery, plastic bandages are used for compression and must be worn for two to three hours following the treatment.In the event that the groin femoral artery route was used for the treatment, the puncture hole is often sealed with an Angio-Seal, a collagen plug that takes three months to disintegrate.

What is the alternative to interventional cardiology?

If the disease is severe, the patient and the expert may want to explore coronary artery bypass surgery as an alternative to PCI treatment. Alternatively, the patient may choose to take regular medication for symptomatic control.This entails using a healthy blood vessel removed from your arm, chest, or leg to reroute your blood around a portion of a partially or completely blocked artery in your heart.Recovery from this large operation, which is performed under general anesthesia, takes a lot longer.