Stent

A stent is a small tube inserted into a narrowed coronary artery. It holds the artery open, improving blood flow so that more oxygen can reach the heart muscle. This lowers the risk of a heart attack.

A small balloon is inflated inside it, and a stent may be left in place to hold the artery open. This can improve blood flow to heart muscle more directly than a statin. It still involves a procedure, however, and there is a risk of complications, including a clot forming around the stent or the artery narrowing again.

A stent is a small mesh tube placed inside a narrowed coronary artery to hold it open. This improves blood flow past the narrowed area and can lower the risk of a heart attack. Unlike changes to diet or cholesterol levels, it addresses that narrowing directly.

In coronary angioplasty, a balloon widens the narrowed section; a stent is usually left in place to help keep it open. In coronary bypass surgery, a grafted blood vessel provides a route around the narrowed or blocked section. Both address the reduced blood supply, but they involve a procedure and carry risks, so they are not automatically the best option for everyone.