Do you have a history of heart disease in your family? How familiar are you with all the treatment methods out there for heart problems? One of the most revolutionary moments in medical procedures was the implantation of a cardiac stent, which was performed in 1986. Since then, this procedure has caught on and is widely used to prevent heart attacks.

Following is a short guide that will cover the whats and whys of cardcoronary artery that has been blocked by a catheter.iac stents:

What Is a Cardiac Stent?

A cardiac stent is a mesh tube, the size of a finger or smaller, made of cobalt chromium alloys or stainless steel. It is placed into a narrow

How It Works

The main purpose of cardiac stents is to make sure that the circulatory system of the heart is running in proper order. The stent enlarges a part of the artery, which helps improve blood flow. This reduces, and in some cases, even eliminates chest pain symptoms. Through the process restenosis, the stent is coated with certain medications that prevent it from narrowing and clogging.

Who Needs It?

Stents are used in patients who have obstructive artery disease. They are also used in bypass surgery and to fix multiple heavy coronary blockages. If you feel tightness in your chest, suffer from shortness of breath and chest pain, and can’t exercise for long periods of time then you need to get a heart checkup.

How Is a Stenting Procedure Done?

A cardiac stent is placed during a procedure called coronary angiogram. A balloon catheter, which is a small tube, is inserted in the patient’s radial artery or femoral artery, and is advanced toward the aorta.

After identifying the blockage, a wire is inserted into the artery and then the stent is pushed on the wire. As the stent is expanded through an inflating balloon, the blockage clears and blood starts flowing. The wire is then removed and the stent stays in place, permanently.

Since this is not such a major procedure, most people recover from it within 24 hours. However, the risk of clotting is quite high, which is why patients are told to take antiplatelet drugs and Aspirin for at least a year.

Before stopping these medications, consult a cardiologist like Dr. Panagiotou in Bergen County, New Jersey, to make sure that your heart is in proper condition.