Heart problems are on the rise worldwide. Indian is one of the top countries with an overburdened number of cardiovascular disease cases. It is the leading cause of death in both rural and urban areas, which stands at 25% of all deaths in India. There are several factors behind the rising number of cardiac issues, such as unhealthy habits, genetics, stress, work-life balance, etc. Cardiovascular diseases do not discriminate on any basis and can affect anybody with its risk factors. However, with a change in lifestyle, most risk factors can be mitigated.
With advancements in the medical field, many new treatment procedures have evolved that can help in severe cardiovascular cases. For instance, rotablation angioplasty can help in stent implantation in patients with severely calcified coronary lesions. These treatments or procedures are done in place of regular operations to help reduce high-risk factors and offer complete rehabilitation. However, such methods may be effective and beneficial in the short term. Their effectiveness and results in the long term need to be researched and studied for better understanding. Before talking about rotablation angioplasty’s long-term results, let’s discuss more about cardiovascular diseases.
What Are Different Types Of Cardiovascular Diseases?
Heart ailments are complex and involve a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. Some of the most common ones are as follows:
Arrhythmia: It is a condition of abnormal heart rhythm. Also known as dysrhythmia, the steady beats if the heart becomes either too slow or fast.
Atherosclerosis: In this condition, the arteries harden due to build-up. Atherosclerosis is a common problem that is associated with aging.
Cardiomyopathy: The heart’s muscles either become weak or harden in cardiomyopathy. People with this condition have stiff, thick, or enlarged hearts.
Congenital Heart Defects: These conditions or ailments are present in the patient from birth itself. Congenital heart defects can be mild or life-threatening.
Coronary Artery Diseases: Also referred to as ischemic heart diseases, these occur due to plaque build-up in the arteries. Angina is one of the symptoms of coronary artery disease.
Heart Infections: These are caused by either bacteria, parasites, or viruses. An infection can spread across the heart, causing inflammation.
These are all broad ranges of cardiovascular diseases. However, people usually associate heart conditions with diseases affecting mainly blood vessels.
What Are Some General Symptoms Of Heart Diseases?
Different heart ailments result in various symptoms that can vary significantly. Some of the common symptoms of heart diseases are as follows:
- Chest pain, tightness, or chest discomfort
- Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
- numbness or tingling in your legs or arms due to narrowing of blood vessels
- Slow or racing heartbeats
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Swelling in legs, feet, or ankles
- Fever
What Is Rotablation Angioplasty?
Angioplasty is conducted to relieve the symptoms of coronary artery diseases. In it, a tiny balloon is inserted in the artery that has become narrow with the help of a wire. The balloon is inflated to remove the plaque and make a way in the artery for improved blood flow. Later, a metal mesh known as a stent is inserted in the artery to hold it open when the balloon is removed. However, when the calcification of plaque is so severe that the balloon can not pass through the artery, regular angioplasty does not work. In such cases, rotablation angioplasty is used.
Also known as rotational atherectomy, it is one of the most complex medical techniques to place a stent in a severely narrowed artery because of extreme plaque calcification. In this, again, a wire is inserted, which is quite fine through the narrowed artery. Afterward, a thin tube or special catheter is inserted with the help of a tiny drill along the wire. The drill clears the plaque at the average speed of 1.5 lakh rotations per minute. Once it gets completed, the regular procedure of angioplasty is conducted. A balloon is inserted, and a stent is placed.
What Are The Long-Term Results Of Rotablation In Patients?
The success rate of the rotablation procedure is quite high. It is pretty effective in stent implantation in patients with severely calcified coronary lesions. Regardless of its challenges, if done by a trained medical professional, there are no significant risk factors. However, patients needing bail-out rotablation after a year are high. Many patients involved in such studies were usually 70 years of age or above. Age of patients can also be a factor in no massive long-term improvement in a patient’s condition. But rotablation angioplasty is successful in treating extreme cases of calcification in immediate effect. It reduces the risk of further complications.
Conclusion
Heart ailments are pretty common. However, one needs to take measures to improve their heart health. As it is said, prevention is better than cure. Hence, it is better to stay healthy than undergo rotablation angioplasty.
