What is a stent for heart attack? How serious is having a stent put in?
What are stents? New advances in the surgical management of coronary artery disease include the growth of the use of stents. These are implants made of inert material that are put in an artery to open it up. Stents have had great success in helping people who have very narrowed arteries. Advances are still being made in this area and it’s too early to know how successful they will be in the long run. It is important to be treated at a medical center that has had experience with these newer procedures to be sure of getting the best care. It seems that stents are a step beyond angioplasty; is that correct? Yes. In angioplasty the coronary arteries are opened, but in 30 to 40 percent of patients, the arteries become narrowed again over time, and ECG exercise treadmill tests show that the blood flow through these arteries is poor. A stent could help prevent a recurrence of this narrowing, which is typical of many angioplasties. Are there other types of intervention?...