Keeping your heart healthy after your procedure

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Many patients mistakenly believe a stent ‘fixes’ their hearts for good, What they do not realize is that taking care of their stent is the next vital step in the recovery process.

- Dr. JoAnne Foody, medical director, Cardiovascular Wellness Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital

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Before You Put On Those Sweats

1,800 Seconds is All You Need

Don't Have Time For Physical Activity


Learning About Your Heart Stent After Your Stent Procedure How to Stay Heart Healthy With Your Stent Keeping Your Heart Healthy After Your Stent Procedure Caregiver Guide Personalized Patient Health Sheet Keeping Your Heart Healthy After Your Stent Procedure As someone who recently had a stent placed in your artery, you may have questions about how to stay healthy and prevent future heart events. If you learn how to protect your stent and heart arteries, you will be taking steps to help protect your heart. Recovery Most people who had a heart event usually have coronary artery disease as well. If you had a heart attack, the heart begins to heal soon after the artery is opened. Depending on the extent of the damage, the affected areas of the heart may heal with scar tissue, which will affect its normal function of pumping blood as well as a healthy heart.¹³⁵ To keep your heart healthy and be able to return to your everyday activities, you should treat your body well and make important lifestyle changes as recommended by your doctor. These changes include taking your prescription medications as directed by your doctor, exercising, and modifying your diet. Your doctor may also recommend you participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program.¹³³ Some patients also find support groups to be an important part of recovery. Mended Hearts, a national nonprofit organization, offers services to heart patients, their families, and caregivers through visiting programs, support group meetings, and educational forums assisting heart disease patients.¹³⁶ Visit www.mendedhearts.org for more information. An Important Step to Heart Health: Taking Your Medication While having a stent procedure is intended to open a blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart, it does not mean your heart is “as good as new.” In fact, getting a stent is the beginning of a new treatment regimen that you must maintain to keep your arteries open. Patients who have had a stent are at risk for thrombosis (blood clots within a stent), which can cause a blockage and restenosis (re-narrowing of the widened artery).³ One important part of this treatment regimen is taking a prescription oral antiplatelet (OAP) medication plus aspirin as directed by your cardiologist. Aspirin is a type of antiplatelet medicine that helps protect you differently than your prescription antiplatelet medicine. Thienopyridines and aspirin help keep platelets from sticking together and forming clots in your stent.³ Other medications that may be prescribed by your doctor include statins and blood pressure medications. ⁶⁸ For your medicines to work as they are supposed to, it is very important that you take them exactly as your doctor prescribes and for the length of time indicated by your doctor. This is called medication compliance, or medication adherence. Medication compliance includes the following steps¹³⁹: Filling your prescriptions prescribed by your cardiologist Following all instructions on the medication’s label Keeping your cardiologist informed about how you’re feeling Refilling your prescription before the medication runs out Ask your cardiologist or primary care physician about any questions you may have about any of your medications. Reducing Controllable Risk Factors Take charge of your body. You can reduce controllable risk factors for a heart attack (high blood pressure, obesity, and lack of physical activity) by eating well, quitting smoking, and exercising regularly. Cook with healthy foods and make healthier ingredient substitutions. Examine the saturated fat content of the oils you use and replace vegetable oil with olive and canola oils. Exercise and improved diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, increase energy, and improve sleep.¹¹³ Talk to your doctor to create a treatment plan that works best for you. You should never begin a new exercise or diet program, or change your old one, without speaking to your doctor first. Recognizing the Symptoms of a Heart Attack Even though you are taking the right steps to protect your heart, you should still be aware of the symptoms of a heart attack. The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain (angina pectoris), usually experienced as pressure, fullness, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest. The discomfort may also be felt in the neck, jaw, shoulder, back, or arm. Other potential symptoms with a heart event include but are not limited to^2,56: Shortness of breath Palpitations (irregular heartbeats, skipped beats, or a “flip-flop” feeling in your chest) A faster heartbeat Weakness or dizziness Nausea Sweating It is important to note that men and women may not experience all the same symptoms of a heart attack. Women are more likely than men to experience the symptoms of shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.¹⁴⁰ If you think you are having a heart attack, do not drive yourself to the hospital. Instead, call EMS (Emergency Medical Services) or 9-1-1 right away.¹³² Tell them you are having a heart attack so they will be prepared to treat your condition right away. Emergency Medical Services professionals, trained to care for heart patients, will take you to the hospital. It is important to seek care immediately. Do not dismiss the symptoms as trivial or wait to see if they go away. No reference available. Lilly is not responsible for any third party content.