The doctor will perform a series of tests to determine if there are any signs of coronary ischemia. If the answer is positive, the patient will undergo cardiac catheterization.

This is the groin through which a thin catheter is introduced into the heart. Through this examination it is possible to check for ischemia, assess its size and the degree of obstruction it causes. In the same procedure, the heart muscle, valves and aorta are assessed, as well as angiographies when necessary.

Mild obstructions are treated with medication and dietary changes to lower cholesterol. Obstructions that compromise 70% of the blood flow at a certain point or points in the coronary arteries are considered major, while those that block more than 80% of the blood flow are considered severe.

The patient will then undergo Coronary Angioplasty, where the interventional cardiologist will use the same technique as cardiac catheterization, but may use a small balloon to dilate a blocked artery or provide a small prosthesis to expand the walls of the coronary artery. This prosthesis is called a stent, which can be metal or polymer (bioabsorbable stent), whether or not it is wrapped in medication (drug-eluting stent).

Angioplasty is a well-established procedure that is widely used to save patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction. It is also an option to revascularization surgeries where the size of the incisions varies between 15 and 30 centimetres and the post-operative period requires special care.