Balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries is about 20 years old and has become the main technique of myocardial revascularisation. It is performed under local anaesthetic by arterial puncture and some centres are already performing the procedures on an ambulatory basis. Optimally, the procedure should be performed in a well-equipped catheter laboratory with trained operators and experienced personnel. The most impressive results are obtained in single vessel disease. However, double and triple vessel disease may also be treated, especially in elderly, frail patients, in cases of high surgical risk or with a previous history of coronary bypass surgery. Balloon angioplasty has an important role in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, either as an alternative or as a complement to thrombolytic therapy. The major limitations of this technique, in the absence of stenting, are the failure to pass chronic lesions, the occurrence of major complications in about 1% of cases, of acute occlusion in about 5% of cases, and, finally, of restenosis estimated between 30 and 50%, depending on the publication. In the general population, the success rate is over 95% with an immediate return to normal life and the possibility of repeating an angioplasty in cases of restenosis. Coronary stents are a major technical adjuvant to balloon angioplasty and the indications of their implantation have exceeded 50% of procedures in recent years.