06/15/2009 - Questions and Answers
Chest pain after a stent
By: Novoviva webmaster
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Question
My mother, who's 68, had a stent put in her heart 2 months ago. She's well, except she's getting some chest pain. Is this normal? Should we be worried?
Answer
We can appreciate your anxiety but unfortunately only your mother's doctor can ease your concern by investigating her symptoms.
We can explain what can happen after having a stent inserted, plus different types of chest pain, which may be helpful to know and perhaps useful to your mother in consultation.
It is normal for some people, after having a stent inserted to experience artery spasm for up to one month post stent, but usually only for a period of up to 2 weeks. This can resemble previous angina pain. Panadol will relieve post stent pain. If medication for heart chest pain ( angina) is used, i.e. GTN spray or sub lingual angina tablets, and does not provide relief, this means the pain is Not associated with heart pain and Panadol will be effective if taken regularly.
Some people may get further angina, which is coming from other diseased arteries. A GTN spray or tablets may be provided. If angina attacks become more frequent, longer and harder to control then an early appointment with your mother's physician should be made. Sudden, severe chest pain unrelieved by GTN spray, tablets or rest, telephone your local emergency number 911 in USA/ Canada. In cities that do not provide 911 service, there may be a specific local telephone number. In United Kingdom 999 - and call an ambulance. The patient must NOT DRIVE
However, Chest pain may have several causes, and the type and location of the pain helps to identify the cause. Apart from Heart pain and post Stent artery spasm, other chest pain can be Chest wall pain, Lung pain, Esophageal pain or Gas pain
Causes for various other chest pains can be seen in a link provided below.
Related Links
AngioplastyCoronary Stent
Different types of chest pain
Created on: 06/01/2006
Reviewed on: 06/15/2009
Reviewed on: 06/15/2009
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I experienced some pain up to a month after my stent was put in. I can only describe it as a dull pain and I thought I even felt the stent in my artery. I also had some complications with the medication that I took (allergic reaction) and once I started on a new medication it seemed to fade.
Steve from Florida wrote the above anonymous post. If anyone has had any success with anything for post stent severe pain (including bypass post stent pain story) including any drug or supplement, or treatment, please post... thanx
http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:FKununr8RIYJ:www.scielo.br/scielo.php%3Fpid%3DS0102-76382003000400002%26script%3Dsci_arttext+inflammation+from+coronary+stent&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
The above web "http" contains the best article to explain what is wrong with us... there are newer articles and american written that say the same thing... but I like this one as it is so easy to understand, has pictures of the problem, etc.
I will later post another article that tells what some doctors are trying drug wise to help, but none of the drugs helped me really. One is Celebrex, for example, or prednisone, dangerous drugs perhaps, but tried by doctors.
Note other recent articles written by american doctors and scientists about patent (compeletly open) stents, yet severe chest pain/angina, are by some very exteemed doctors.
Some others suggest it is the plastic (polymer) coating around the Drug eluding stent adding to the already big problem of constant non-bending and stretch. The problem of post (after) stent pain would occur with the bare large stent, but not as much as with the Drug eluding stent...
...if you really take time to search the web, you will see dozens of well written articles about it... only way out I think seems to be to somehow have a bypass around the stent, eliminate it.
...In my case (now 5 years old) it would mean perhaps a 5 way bypass, since the stent is sticking into the left main, though the blockage was origionally only in the small part of one vessel, the LAD osteum (end). So I am screwed. Others I know were able to bypass and remove the stent with out much trouble, single vessel, etc., though it was open chest, heart out, heart lung machine, full bypass, but only one vessel. In my case, a 5 way bypass would be too dangerous, so I have sought other means without success. I have tried all natural anti inflammitories with no success. I feel time is running out. All gastero studies and CT's of aorta very normal, as well as studies of other possible causes. Stent is patent, per 3 angiograms and a CT of heart. I have a zero calcium score.
I have severe chest pain every nite and morning since the very morning after it was installed. Not so bad before the day of the stenting. I have it even now.