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Medicine

Medications like aspirin and cholesterol lowering medicines are used to prevent blood clots from forming inside the arteries and to decrease the inflammation in the arteries.

Atherectomy

Multiple atherectomy or “roto-rooter” devices are available and can be used to clear out the plaque and blockage in arteries by mechanical means, including a drill or laser.

Stents

Sometimes metal coils called stents are placed permanently into the artery after balloon angioplasty to help support the artery and prevent it from closing.

Balloon angioplasty

A balloon in inserted into the artery through a blockage and then inflated to clear the blockage. The balloon is then removed from the body. Some balloons are coated with types of medication that stick to the artery and prevent the blockage from returning.

Endovascular procedures

Blockages in the arteries can often be cleared or made better by an endovascular procedure. Tools used to clear blockage are inserted into the body through a small tube in an artery in the arm, groin or foot. In most cases, this is a safer option than working through an insertion in the groin, and results in quicker recovery