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Medication vs. Stent treatment for coronary artery disease
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: Jan 18, 2022 | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
@vic83 Hello Vic. I had a heart attack in July 2021 and, bc I'm a poor risk surgically, I was put on medication rather than having the stent procedure. I take 1/2 tablet twice a day of Metoprolol 25 mg (12.5 mg twice a day). So far, so good! The stent procedure can be very risky, as you say. My sister, aged 86, was in the midst of a heart attack when they tried an emergency stent procedure. However,
it was too late for her, and she didn't survive the procedure. Please don't be afraid if you do go that route. I know MANY people who have stents, including one of my sons, and everyone tells me a stent changed their lives so much, and for the better. Warmest wishes, Laurie
Replies to "@vic83 Hello Vic. I had a heart attack in July 2021 and, bc I'm a poor..."
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Thanks for sharing. I had lung cancer surgery planned so placing a stent would have prohibited that surgery (no
surgery if one is on antiplatelet therapy). I have to consider now whether I will need further lung surgery in the future. One cardiologist did mention that recent research indicates that many people will do as well on medication as with stent (ISCHEMIA trial). If stent is only to help with pain, I never had much pain. The whole thing started with shortness of breath which I thought was lungs. I became anxious and that increased my shortness of breath and in the last 2 weeks I begin to have dull chest pain. I went to ER for something else and they picked up on elevated Troponin (0.4 up to 0.6 down to 0.4). The next day they did angiogram and discovered the blockage of 70%. So I am now on medication and do not have any chest pain (IMDUR 30 MG, TOPROL XL 25MG, ATORVASTIN 40MG). I am 80 now and tolerated my lung surgery well. "Technically" they said I had a heart attack but I had no heart damage as I did an Echo Stress test a week later with no problem. I want to make decisions based on latest research and my own health profile. I cannot do a stent in this moment, and the question is whether a stent is much better for me than medication. Does it prevent pain (I don't have) or does it prevent heart attack more than medication???? And what are the other risks? I don't like incomplete answers.