Loss of life is a rare complication of angioplasty. Fortunately, this risk has continued to decrease over the past 25 years as angioplasty has become safer.

 

However, there are several conditions that will increase the risk of such a serious complication. These conditions include severe coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, severe heart failure, and other serious medical conditions (kidney problems, diabetes, etc.).

 

The risk of death also increases when procedures such as balloon angioplasty or atherectomy are used to fix problems in the coronary arteries, especially in high-risk patients. Every effort will be made to minimize this risk prior to performing the heart catheterization.