Why Angioplasty for Peripheral Artery Disease?
Angioplasty is a procedure commonly used to open narrowed arteries that supply blood flow to the heart. It may be used on short sections of narrowed arteries in people who have peripheral arterial disease(PAD).
How Well Angioplasty Works
Angioplasty can restore blood flow and relieve intermittent claudication. It can help you walk farther without leg pain than you did before the procedure. How well angioplasty works depends on the length of blood vessel affected, the size of the blood vessel, and whether the blood vessel is completely blocked.
Angioplasty works best in the following types of arteries:
- Narrowed, not blocked, arteries
- Larger arteries
- Arteries with short narrowed areas
Complications related to the catheter:
- Pain, swelling, and tenderness at the catheter insertion site
- Irritation of the vein by the catheter (superficial thrombophlebitis)
- Bleeding at the catheter site
- Usually going away within a couple days, a bruise where the catheter was inserted
Serious complications are rare, including:
- Sudden closure of the artery
- Blood clots
- A small tear in the inner lining of the artery
- An allergic reaction to the contrast material used to view the arteries
- Kidney damage
Walk, Hike, or Bike through Roxbury, NJ
Roxbury, a township in Morris County, New Jersey offers tons of options for heart healthy activities. With a plethora of parks and lakes to choose from, you will never be without a cardio friendly workout with a beautiful view. Morris Canal Park and Ledgewood Park offer over 250 acres of forest land complete with hiking trails. Horseshoe Lake Recreation Complex has a lake with a designated swimming area, lighted basketball courts, numerous lighted soccer fields, lighted 90′ baseball field, and a lighted multi purpose turf field. Orben Park contains a 1.3 mile hike with some steep areas, trekking up and down the hillside called the Ice Age Trail.