Recently a senior civil servant died after undergoing angioplasty to clear a blocked heart vessel. I would appreciate it if the health authorities kindly let the public know about the side effects of angiograms, angioplasties and bypass surgeries.

Can anybody tell us the correct figure of mishaps like strokes and heart attacks occurring within one year in patients who have undergone invasive procedures like an angiogram, angioplasty or bypass surgery in Malaysia?

A recent summary from over 100 hospitals in the US involved in a clinical trial called Mass (Medicine-Angiogram-Surgery-Study) II indicates that angioplasty (PCI) is actually worse than medical therapy (drugs) and is contraindicated in stable coronary atherosclerosis.

Apparently, disruption of plaque by the balloon inflation causes an immune response to the plaque contents, in particular modified LDL, also called oxidized LDL. Theoretically, antibodies to the plaque contents could stimulate an inflammation in the other plaques and increase the chance of rupture of any plaque in the coronary arteries.

Bypass surgery, meanwhile, helped anginal symptoms but did not prolong life or prevent heart attacks

The Mass II study, on the other hand, found non-invasive treatment safe, effective and low cost.