Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood through your body. You may need a PCI if you have a build-up of a fatty, waxy substance (plaque) in your arteries. Or you may have a PCI to clear blockages after a heart attack
Sometimes an angioplasty is combined with the placing of a wire mesh tube which is called a stent. A stent helps to prop the artery open in order to decrease the likelihood of it narrowing again.
The majority of stents are coated in medication, these are called drug-elating stents. The drugs in these stents also help to keep the artery they are placed in open.
Usually, you stay in a recovery area for several hours after a PCI. You may have bruising or soreness where the doctor inserted the catheter. You might return home that day or stay in the hospital overnight.