Coronary artery stenting

With aggravation of the symptoms of coronary heart disease and other manifestations of atherosclerosis, coronary artery stenting is justified. This is a common procedure, which, along with shunting, gives a good result.

Indications for stenting of the coronary arteries

After the doctors had the opportunity to conduct fluoroscopy of the arteries with the introduction of a contrast medium, which allows to examine their walls from the inside, the scientists asked how the procedure can be used with maximum effect. When there are atherosclerotic plaques and narrowing of the vessels, they can be expanded right during coronary angiography. Agioplasty and stenting of the coronary arteries are the final part of this procedure - a special catheter equipped with a balloon is delivered to the site of the vessel's constriction, established with the help of an X-ray. With the help of contrast agent, the balloon inflates and imprintes cholesterol plaques to the walls of the vessel, expanding the lumen. The effect of this treatment is not long-term. But if the agioplasty is completed by installing a stent from medical steel with a special relief, the vessel will maintain its normal width for many years.

Indications for stenting are the following factors:

• cardiac ischemia;
• angina pectoris;
• atherosclerosis;
• myocardial infarction.

Treatment and rehabilitation after stenting of the coronary vessels

As the stenting passes without opening the chest, the catheter with the balloon and the metal ring penetrate to the site of narrowing through the hole in the arm, or inguinal area, along the large arteries, after the operation, the bleeding from the area of ​​administration should be minimized. It is the loss of blood that is the most common cause of complications right after the procedure. In this regard, the patient is recommended to completely immobilize the puncture site for a day and observe bed rest for a week after the operation. In general, the stenting of the coronary arteries causes such complications as:

• myocardial infarction in acute phase;
• stroke;
• an allergic reaction to a contrast agent;
• bleeding from the puncture site, an aneurysm of the artery through which the catheter passage was made;
• ingrowing of the stent in the tissue and relapse of atherosclerosis ;
• occlusion of blood vessels, thrombosis.

Nevertheless, the number of patients faced with these problems is negligible - just over 2% of all operations resulted in negative consequences. Almost always complications after coronary stenting can be prevented with the help of special treatment and proper rehabilitation.

The patient should take medications that dilute the blood, anticoagulants, nitrates and other medications. Such drugs can be called basic:

1. Aspirin to avoid excessive density and viscosity of blood.
2. Plavix, Klopilet, Clopidogrel and similar drugs that cause a persistent vasodilation and relieve spasm.
3. Lovastatin, Pravastatin, simvastatin, or other statins regulating the level of cholesterol in the blood. Are mandatory for patients with diabetes, obesity, who have had a heart attack.
4. Bisoprolol, carvaprolol and other adrenoblockers to reduce the likelihood of a heart attack.
5. Your usual medication, normalizing the level of blood pressure.

Life after stenting of the coronary arteries

After stenting you will have to change your way of life abruptly. First of all, a month after the operation, you need to take care of the increase in motor activity and regulation of body weight. Gymnastic exercises and diet to reduce cholesterol are mandatory. It is also recommended to stop smoking, drinking alcohol and fast food. This is a guarantee that the transferred operation will bear fruit. By the way, there are very few contraindications to stenting of the coronary arteries:

• too much area narrowing the arteries;
• fragility of the walls of blood vessels;
• severe respiratory and renal insufficiency;
• an allergy to iodine.

This makes the procedure available to almost everyone.