A new review has dismissed suggestions that angioplasty is not safe for women. Contradicting earlier reports that angioplasty in women was dangerous as compared to men, Dr. Alexandra J. Lansky, MD, Director of the Angiographic Core Laboratory and the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, said that the comparison to men overshadowed the true benefit to women of early intervention.
The new research demonstrates that early intervention saves lives in women who have a heart attack or unstable chest pain. "Recent news reports suggest that women do not fare as well as men following angioplasty. However, a cumulative view of the research on this topic overwhelmingly indicates that early intervention does benefit women, and in fact, prevents death and heart attacks," Dr. Lansky said.
Angioplasty - Animation
Arteries supplying the heart is sometimes blocked by plaque leading to heart attack.Angioplasty is a method by which a part of the blocked artery is expanded to place a stent.Once this is done normal blood flow resumes and the heart regains its normal function.
"We should be comparing interventional strategies in women to other therapies in women, in order to determine whether or not they are beneficial. The comparison to men is largely irrelevant," she said. Women with stable angina have a milder form of chest pain caused by narrowings in coronary arteries that are not immediately life threatening, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a set of procedures used to treat coronary heart disease, relieves chest pain symptoms better than medical therapy.
Animation on Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG) - Animation
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG) is performed to restore the blood supply to areas of heart that have been reduced or has no blood supply due to blockage in the artery.
From the study she suggested that women should not be double minded for angioplasty. "The message to the public should clearly be that early intervention benefits women with acute coronary syndromes (mild and severe heart attacks). Women should not delay coming to the hospital if they suspect a heart attack and should not be afraid should they need an angioplasty - it could save their life" Dr. Lansky said.
The research will be reported at TCT 2007, the annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF).
Source: ANI
LIN/V
Women With Heart Disease Suffers from Depression
Women who have suffered heart attacks have higher rates of lingering depressive symptoms compared to their male counterparts.
 Survival Rates for Angioplasty, Coronary Bypass Surgery SameA new study has found that patients suffering from heart disease who undergo angioplasty are at an equal death and heart attack risk as those who undergo coronary bypass surgery. | Advertisement
|
Recommended Readings
Latest Women Health News
