Gradual buildup of fat and cholesteral and other tissues along the walls of the coronary arteries can cause the coronary arteries to narrow. These buildups are frequently called "plaque" or "atherosclerosis." This buildup of plaque can, in time, narrow the arteries so severely that blood flow to the heart muscle is no longer adequate and the symptoms of insufficient blood flow, angina, develop. Medications can help improve the efficiency of the heart and reduce angina symptoms like chest pain, but these do not eliminate the blockages. Angioplasty ("PTCA") improves flow through narrowed coronary arteries by widening the passageway for blood. Often, PTCA is done in conjunction with placement of a small metal stent which can scaffold the artery open and prevent recoiling of the vessel. Alternatively, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is an open heart surgical procedure which reroutes a new vessel to the heart muscle, "bypassing" the blockage in the coronary artery.&Mac197;