Severe heart blockage is typically that in the greater than 70% range. This degree of narrowing is associated with significantly reduced blood flow to the heart muscle and can underlie symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath. In the diagram above, an 80% blockage can be seen at the beginning of the vessel.
A heart attack is particularly dangerous when it's caused by blockage in the left anterior descending artery, which supplies blood to the larger, front part of the heart, earning it this scary-sounding nickname.
“A blockage doesn't necessarily mean that a patient is going to have a stroke,” says Dr. Lanzino. A partial blockage (greater than 60 percent) in patients without symptoms carries a risk of stroke of about 2 percent each year. That increased risk needs to be weighed against the risk and benefits of treatment.
A completely blocked coronary artery will cause a heart attack. The classic signs and symptoms of a heart attack include crushing chest pain or pressure, shoulder or arm pain, shortness of breath, and sweating.
At stage 3, a person would be considered to have severe heart disease, meaning one to two coronary arteries show more than 50 percent narrowing of the vessels diameter, or three blood vessels are moderately blocked in the 30 to 49 percent range.
Stenting is often recommended when arterial narrowing is moderate to severe or when only one or two coronary arteries are severely narrowed.
A moderate amount of heart blockage is typically that in the 40-70% range, as seen in the diagram above where there is a 50% blockage at the beginning of the right coronary artery. Usually, heart blockage in the moderate range does not cause significant limitation to blood flow and so does not cause symptoms.
The most important artery is called the left anterior descending artery (LAD). It feeds blood to the whole front wall of the heart, which represents much more muscle than the area fed by either of the other two coronary arteries.
“Patients typically develop symptoms when an artery becomes narrowed by a blockage of 70 percent or more,” says Menees. “Most times, these can be treated relatively easily with stents. However, with a CTO, the artery is 100 percent blocked and so placing a stent can be quite challenging.”
Many times people live happily with a blocked artery. But with one blocked artery symptoms are a high chance of reduced life expectancy. Asymptomatic patients live up to 3-5 years.
The key is lowering LDL and making lifestyle changes.
"Making plaque disappear is not possible, but we can shrink and stabilize it," says cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor. Plaque forms when cholesterol (above, in yellow) lodges in the wall of the artery.
In other words, most patients who have carotid stenosis without symptoms will not have a stroke and this risk can be further reduced by surgery. To benefit from surgery, asymptomatic patients should have a narrowing of more than 70% and a life expectancy of at least 3-5 years.
In cases where a blockage is 70 percent or higher, treatment by either carotid endarterectomy or carotid angioplasty and stenting will be recommended.
A third degree, or complete, heart block is where there is no transmission of electrical pulses between the AV node and the ventricles. As with second degree heart block, there are two sub-types of third degree heart block: congenital - where the condition is present at birth.
At other times, especially when the artery is blocked by 70% or more, the buildup of arterial plaque may cause symptoms that include: Chest pain. Shortness of breath. Heart palpitations.
Coronary angioplasty and stent placement.
A tiny balloon is inflated to help widen the blocked artery and improve blood flow. A small wire mesh tube (stent) may be placed in the artery during angioplasty. The stent helps keep the artery open. It lowers the risk of the artery narrowing again.
That tiny drill can be used in concert with Shockwave, giving cardiologists an additional method to open up stubborn blockages. Shockwave can sometimes give new hope to patients who have been turned down for bypass surgery due to their heavily calcified arteries. It safely unblocks the artery while minimizing risks.
How long will a stent last? It is permanent. There is just a 2–3 per cent risk of narrowing coming back, and if that happens it is usually within 6–9 months. If it does, it can potentially be treated with another stent.
What should you expect? The procedure may take place right after the arteriogram, which is used to find the blockage, or it may occur the next day. You may need to stay in the hospital two or three days.
Any amount of blockage in the LMCA, such as from plaque buildup or a clot, is referred to as “LMCA disease.” However, treatment is only needed when there is a blockage of 50% or more. At that level, there is an increased risk of death, a major heart attack, or a life-threatening arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
In answer to your first question, in some cases doctors can place two or even three stents during one procedure. There are, however, cases in which the cardiologist will want to place one and then place a second or even a third stent in a later procedure.
If your doctor finds a blockage during your coronary angiogram, he or she may decide to perform angioplasty and stenting immediately after the angiogram while your heart is still catheterized. Your doctor will give you instructions to help you prepare.
For some people, medications and lifestyle changes may be the treatment of choice — especially if only one artery is narrowed. In others, angioplasty may be recommended to open the clogged arteries — especially if chest pain (angina) due to reduced blood flow has not improved with medication and lifestyle changes.
Is it possible to Unclog Arteries Naturally? Although it isn't possible to remove plaque from your arterial walls without surgery, you can halt and prevent future plaque build-up.