What causes coronary artery blockage?
Cholesterol from the food we eat, smoking, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition – all these cause our blood to thicken and clot within the coronary (and other) arteries, and the resultant cholesterol plaques obstruct the artery. If the coronary arteries are severely blocked, then the heart muscles do not get enough blood and oxygen, and this leads to angina (chest pains), and in some cases, a heart attack. This is why we recommend lifestyle changes like quitting cigarettes, low cholesterol diet (fish, vegetables and fruits, preferably no red meat, like pork and beef, and no eggs), and doing daily exercises. All this will minimize cholesterol plaque formation inside the arteries and prevent heart attack and stroke. Can PTCA be done on an outpatient basis? Yes, this procedure is being done in some centers in the United States as an outpatient procedure, where it is done in the morning, and the patient is discharged the same evening. Some cases are kept overnight for observation. The
