An interventional cardiologist is a doctor who uses minimally invasive techniques to treat heart conditions. These techniques often involve using catheters, which doctors manipulate with the aid of X-ray imaging and computers to provide treatment without requiring more invasive procedures. Sometimes, a Covington interventional cardiologist uses catheters to open blocked arteries to relieve patients from angina pectoris or other conditions that could cause cardiac arrest or a heart attack.

Here are conditions that interventional cardiologists treat.

What conditions do interventional cardiologists treat?

Coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease is the buildup of plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. It can cause chest pain (angina) or a heart attack. If it causes a heart attack, it usually happens in an area of the heart muscle that has had little blood flow for some time and is, therefore, starved for oxygen and nutrients.

The lack of blood flow triggers the release of chemicals such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which are used by the heart muscle cells to make energy. In response, these cells rapidly swell up and leak their contents into surrounding blood vessels, causing them to narrow or even burst open and spill more blood into the space around the heart muscle. The resulting heart attack can be lethal if left untreated. But interventional cardiologists can often save lives and prevent further damage by opening clogged arteries with catheters that deliver balloons or other devices that temporarily widen and stabilize the passageways.

Atrial fibrillation

Most of the time, your heart beats in an organized fashion, but sometimes it beats erratically-and this is atrial fibrillation. It is a common condition that can occasionally be serious, and it’s one that interventional cardiologists treat by placing a small device inside the heart to restore normal rhythm.

Atrial fibrillation usually occurs when something causes the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) to quiver or beat chaotically instead of contracting normally. This quivering can sometimes form a blood clot that moves into the bloodstream and blocks blood flow to another body part, such as the brain. This is known as a stroke. Atrial fibrillation can also make it hard for oxygenated blood from the lungs to the rest of the body. The symptoms of atrial fibrillation vary widely from person to person, but some include high blood pressure, fatigue, migraine headaches, or trouble sleeping.

Clogged arteries (atherosclerosis)

When arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed or clogged, it can lead to chest pain (angina), heart attack, and other problems. Interventional cardiologists can open these arteries by inserting tiny balloons in them, placing stents to hold them open, or performing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Interventional cardiologists are heart doctors specializing in treating coronary artery disease, including acute chest pain and stable angina. They also treat valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, and other conditions using minimally invasive techniques involving catheter-based procedures. Some interventional cardiologists are trained to perform percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), which involve inserting a thin tube called a catheter into the patient’s artery to clear a blockage. Heart valves can be opened by balloon dilation or stent placement. The latter procedure can also be used to open up blocked arteries. Louisiana Heart and Vascular Institute professionals got you covered if you need to meet a skilled interventional cardiologist.