Angioplasty at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Malad
When a heart artery is blocked, angioplasty is the treatment that reopens it, usually with a balloon catheter and a stent. CritiCare Asia Hospitals is a heart hospital in Mumbai where cardiac care covers the full journey from diagnosis to long-term follow-up. Angioplasty is done in the cardiac catheterisation lab, where the doctors can move from scan to treatment when time matters. Families looking for angioplasty treatment in Malad, Mumbai can have the diagnosis, procedure and aftercare managed by one team.
Symptoms of a Narrowed or Blocked Heart Artery
These signs are easy to put down to age or acidity, which is why they are often ignored:
- Chest pressure, burning or tightness during effort
- Breathlessness while climbing stairs or walking short distances
- Pain in the left arm, shoulder, jaw or back
- Sweating, nausea or unusual fatigue
If chest discomfort lasts more than a few minutes or comes with sweating, do not wait. A suspected heart attack needs immediate medical care.
Planned and Emergency Angioplasty
Planned angioplasty follows tests that show a blockage not controlled by medicines or lifestyle changes. Emergency angioplasty is done during a heart attack, where doctors work against "door-to-balloon time", the interval between arrival and reopening of the artery. For a suspected attack, a nearby hospital matters, because every minute saved lowers the damage to the heart muscle.
How Angioplasty Works
- Balloon dilation
a catheter with a deflated balloon is guided to the blockage and inflated, pressing the fatty plaque against the artery wall - Stent placement
a mesh tube is typically left in place as scaffolding so the artery stays open
A heart stent procedure in most cases uses a drug-eluting stent, which releases medicine to reduce re-narrowing. Bare-metal stents are used less often but remain suitable for some patients, such as those who cannot take blood thinners for long. The best cardiologists in Malad, Mumbai at CritiCare Asia Hospitals weigh artery size, blockage complexity and bleeding risk before choosing.
Preparing for the Procedure
- Fasting for six to eight hours, with sips of water for medicines
- A review of blood thinners, aspirin and anti-inflammatory medicines
- Tests such as an ECG, chest X-ray and blood work
Bring a family member who can hear the instructions with you, since the medicine schedule after a stent is important and easier to follow when two people know it.
What Happens During the Procedure
Heart angioplasty in Malad, Mumbai is performed under local anaesthesia with light sedation. A catheter travels through an artery in the wrist, arm, or groin to the blockage under X-ray guidance. The balloon widens the artery, a stent is placed if needed, and the catheter is removed. Vital signs are watched continuously, and the duration varies with the number and complexity of blockages.
Recovery at Home and Long-Term Care
Most patients stay overnight for monitoring, with a longer stay if the angioplasty was an emergency. At home, drink plenty of fluids, avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for at least a week, and return to routine work as advised by your care team.
Dual antiplatelet therapy, usually aspirin with a second blood thinner, protects the stent from clots. Stopping it early without advice is among the biggest risks after angioplasty. Family meals with less salt and fried food, quitting tobacco, controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, and regular check-ups keep the artery healthy for years.
When to Call Us After Angioplasty
- Bleeding, swelling or worsening pain at the catheter site
- Redness, warmth or fever
- Change in colour or temperature of the treated limb
- Faintness, chest pain or breathlessness
Who Is a Candidate?
Angioplasty suits single or double-vessel blockages that a catheter can reach. When disease is widespread, the blockage is hard to access, or heart function favours surgery, bypass surgery may be advised instead.
Treatment Options: Angiography, Angioplasty and Bypass Surgery
Angiography shows where the blockage is. Angioplasty opens it through a catheter. Bypass surgery redirects blood flow around more extensive or complex blockages. The cardiologist explains the choice after the angiogram, based on the number of vessels affected and your overall health.
Angioplasty at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Malad
Heart disease affects whole households, so our team involves family members in decisions, medicine schedules and follow-up plans. As a trusted best heart hospital in Malad, Mumbai, CritiCare Asia Hospitals treats emergency and elective cases with equal care, each on its own timeline. To discuss symptoms or arrange a cardiology consultation, contact our team.