Risks of an angioplasty

As with all types of surgery, coronary angioplasty carries a risk of complications. However, the risk of serious problems is small. Complications that can occur during or after an angioplasty include: Bleeding or bruising under the skin where the catheterwas inserted estimated to occur in more than one in every 20 cases Damage to the arterywhere thesheath was inserted estimated to occur in less than one in every 100 cases Allergic reaction to the contrast agent used during the procedure estimated to occur in less than one in every 100 cases Damage to an artery in the heart estimated to occur in less than one in every 350 cases Excessive bleeding requiring a Blood transfusion estimated to occur in less than one in every 100 cases Heart attack , stroke or death estimated to occur in less than one in every 100 cases Who's most at risk? Several factors increase your risk of experiencing these complications. These include: Your age the older you are, the higher the risk Whether the procedure was planned (for angina ),or is emergency treatment for or after a heart attack emergency treatment is always riskier because there's less time to plan it and the patient is already unwell Whether you have kidney disease the contrast agent used during an angioplasty can occasionally cause further damage to the kidneys Whether more than one coronary artery has become blocked this is known as multi-vessel disease Whether you have a history of serious heart disease , including heart failure Your cardiology team can give you more information about your individual circumstances and level of risk.