Is angioplasty a commonly performed procedure?
Yes, the number of angioplasties performed annually continues to rise as the number of heart surgeries performed falls. According to the American Heart Association, in 2002 an estimated 650,000 angioplasty procedures were performed on 640,000 Americans. This amounts to a 324 percent increase in volume since 1987. As the baby boom generation ages, the incidence of heart disease and the need for angioplasty is expected to grow even more.
