By: Erin Coakley for Heart1
A surprising study presented at the American College of Cardiology showed that every year over half a million people undergo an unnecessary procedure to unclog arteries. The procedure, known as angioplasty, is the leading treatment for heart disease. But new research suggests that a regimen of drugs and healthy living is just as effective at relieving chest pain as angioplasty.
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Keep Your Heart Healthy
Avoid fried foods and eat a moderate amount of healthy fats including various cooking oils and nuts.
Keep salt intake to two teaspoons daily, which is relatively easy to do if you are eating whole, fresh foods.
Stay active – shoot for thirty minutes per day. House work, yard work, and every step you take counts.
Seek care as soon as possible after heart attack symptoms begin.
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During angioplasty, clogged, narrow arteries are cleared out and tiny tubes called stents are inserted to keep them open. When used during a heart attack or other emergency situation, angioplasty is the best method of saving lives. Yet, most angioplasties are performed on people with stable coronary disease who only experience chest pain after exertion. Researchers found that when used on a non-emergency basis, angioplasty did not save lives or prevent heart attacks.
The study involved 2,287 patients who had substantially clogged arteries and experienced chest pains an average of 10 times a week. All participants were given medicines that improve chest pain and artery health and half were given angioplasties. During the first year after treatment, those patients who had an angioplasty did experience less chest pain. After five years however, 74 percent of the angioplasty group and 72 percent of the medicine group reported experiencing no chest pain. There was no significant difference between the two groups – and medication may be better at controlling symptoms. Results may be due to the fact that stent insertion only fixes one blockage at a time, whereas medication can treat all arteries at once.
These research findings are very controversial, especially among doctors who earn their livings performing angioplasties. Patients diagnosed with blocked arteries should discuss both angioplasty and drug therapy with their doctor to determine which treatment is right for them.
Source: American College of Cardiology
