Museum of Science and Industry

If there is only a small amount of plaque buildup (less than 70 percent) in a patient's arteries, the cardiologist may recommend that the patient exercise three times a week, quit smoking and eat less fatty food. Medications may also be prescribed to open blood vessels, lower the heart rate and blood pressure, decrease blood cholesterol, dissolve clots and prevent clots from forming.

A thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into the narrowed artery. A tiny balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated, mashing the blockage against the vessel wall. A stent, a wire-mesh tube, is then inserted. The stent remains in the artery permanently and acts like a scaffold, preventing further closing or narrowing of the artery.

Bypass surgery creates a detour to re-route blood around the blockage using blood vessels from another part of the body. The procedure is usually recommended when the vessel is almost completely blocked or if the blockage is too large or can't be reached with the catheter.