Should I get IVL + stent(s) for my RCA w/calcification?

Posted by claireike @claireike, Mar 8 8:35am

I had a catheterization last week and they found my RCA (right coronary artery) was 80% clogged with calcification. I can get IVL + stent(s) to improve that, but because I have no symptoms (no angina, no light headedness, etc) the doctors are acting like its 50/50 whether I should do that. One doctor says stents don't improve heart attack risk. I've read that 1 in 4 stents have issues with regrowing plaque or blood clots in the year after they are put in. I'm female, which I've read is higher risk due to being smaller (but I'm very tall/big like a guy) and women have more tortuous/not straight arteries. I don't want to have emergency open heart surgery when they put in a stent (like 1-2 % risk). What would you advise I do?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

I AM A FEMALE 87 YEARS OLD. MY STENT FOR AN ARTERY THAT WAS 85% BLOCKED WAS DONE DURING MY HEART CATHETERIZATION. NO OPEN HEART SURGERY NEEDED. YOUR SITUATION MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT I WOULD BE ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND MAYBE EVEN A SECOND OR THIRD OPINION.
WISHING YOU GOOD LUCK.
MIZ PAT

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.