Elective Coronary Angioplasty Now Available at Princeton Medical Center
Princeton Medical Center (PMC) is now licensed to perform elective coronary angioplasty. For years, cardiologists at PMC have performed emergency angioplasties to clear blocked arteries of patients who were experiencing heart attack symptoms. Yet individuals seeking the same procedure as a treatment option for ongoing cardiovascular symptoms needed to go elsewhere due to state licensing rules.
A state law amending those rules was enacted in early 2021, and PMC recently received its license for elective angioplasty following a successful inspection by the New Jersey Department of Health.
“There is a definite need for this service, and we are excited to provide it here in our community,” said James Demetriades, CEO of Penn Medicine Princeton Health, which includes PMC. “Having this treatment option available offers a significant benefit to our patients and builds on the comprehensive cardiac offerings we provide with colleagues across the Penn Medicine system.”
Andrew Shanahan, MD, Medical Director of PMC’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Coronary Intervention Program, said angioplasty may be recommended for individuals who have symptoms of heart disease, such as shortness of breath and chest pain. This may include patients who previously had a heart attack, have a significant blockage of a coronary artery, had a heart rhythm disorder, or have not responded well to medications and lifestyle changes.
Elective coronary angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that involves inserting a catheter into the clogged artery and using a tiny balloon to clear the blockage and improve blood flow. A stent is usually put in place as well, designed to help prevent the artery from becoming blocked again in the future.
“As an elective procedure, angioplasty opens clogged arteries that are the cause of chest pain or pressure, heart rhythm disorders, or heart failure,” said Dr. Shanahan, who is board certified in cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology, and nuclear cardiology. “The majority of patients recover quickly and experience immediate improvement in symptoms. Most people go home the same day or the next morning and can resume their normal activities within a week.”
Following elective coronary angioplasty, cardiologists may recommend an aspirin regimen or prescribe other blood-thinning medications to help keep the stent open, and, when necessary, medications to help manage cholesterol or blood pressure.
Lifestyle changes — eating a healthy diet, being active, and not smoking, for instance — are also important to maintaining good heart health. Cardiac rehabilitation may be recommended as well.
Elective angioplasty adds an effective treatment option to PMC’s Cardiac Care Program.
PMC received the 2022 Get With The Guidelines®–Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association (AHA). The Get With The Guidelines®–Heart Failure program is intended to speed recovery, reduce hospital readmissions, and improve the quality of life for people living with heart failure. Hospitals are recognized for their commitment to ensuring patients with heart failure receive the most appropriate care according to guidelines rooted in the latest scientific research.
PMC has been rated high performing in treating heart failure for eight years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.
To learn more about PMC’s Cardiac Care Program, visit www.princetonhcs.org.
About Penn Medicine Princeton Health
Penn Medicine Princeton Health is one of the most comprehensive healthcare systems in New Jersey, providing acute care hospital services through Princeton Medical Center; behavioral healthcare through Princeton House Behavioral Health; in-home nursing, rehabilitation and hospice care; primary and specialty care through Princeton Medicine Physicians; ambulatory surgery and wellness services. For more information, visit www.princetonhcs.org. Princeton Health is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS), which, together with the University of Pennsylvania’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, forms Penn Medicine, one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research and excellence in patient care.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Andy Williams, 609-695-6173 (mobile)
andrew.williams3@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
