So my dad has been complaining a lot lately of chest pains and shortness of breath. So he finally gets his ass to a doctor and they find blood in his urine. After further tests they find he as blockage in his arteries and now on Monday he has to go into the hospital for Angioplasty. I found this description of the problem and procedure:

Fat and cholestoral can accumulate on the inside of arteries and form deposits called plaque. This disease process is called atherosclerosis. The arteries that supply blood to the heart itself (called the coronary arteries) can be narrowed or blocked by this accumulation. If the blockage is not too severe, a balloon catheter may be used to open the heart artery as an alternative to open heart surgery. The catheter is a small, hollow, flexible tube that has a balloon near the end of it.

Angioplasty is a medical procedure in which a balloon is used to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries). It is not considered to be a type of surgery. The procedure starts with the patient lying on a padded table. Local pain medicine is given, and the catheters are then inserted in an artery (usually near the groin). The patient is awake for the procedure, but pain medicine can be given as needed. The heart and heart arteries are then visualized by using X-rays and dye, and blockages in the heart vessels are identified. A balloon catheter is then inserted in or near the blockage and inflated, thus widening or opening the blocked vessel and restoring adequate blood flow to the heart muscle. Occassionally, blood thinning medicines are also given to prevent formation of a blood clot. In almost all cases, a device called a stent is also placed at the site of narrowing or blockage in order to keep the artery open. A common type of stent is made of self-expanding, stainless steel mesh. If the arteries are not sufficiently widened by angioplasty or the blockages are too severe to be treated by angioplasty, heart surgery may be recommended.

This is the part I need my dad to read: Patients should diet, EXERCISE , ABSTAIN FROM SMOKING, and reduce stress in order to lower the chances of recurrence. The physician may prescribe a medication, such as statin, to help lower the patient's cholesterol.

So hopefully all goes well on Monday and he�ll be home Monday night.