PT Health Life – After coronary stent placement, care and treatment are very important to quickly restore health, reduce complications… for people with coronary artery disease.
Coronary artery disease is caused by the buildup of fatty plaques that cause narrowing or blockage of one or more arteries. Symptoms of pain or discomfort are often in the chest, due to insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle , called angina .
Coronary arteries, when completely blocked, will cause a heart attack . Coronary artery stenting is a procedure used to treat narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries. Therefore, patients after coronary artery stent placement need to note the following.
1. Need to comply with medication use and follow-up examinations
Using medicine at the wrong dose or taking it incorrectly are equally dangerous. One of the complications after coronary stent placement is early thrombosis that appears within the first 24 hours after the procedure, occurring both in people using regular stents or drug-eluting stents.
In addition to early thrombosis, late thrombosis and restenosis after coronary artery intervention are the two most common complications. Among them, stent thrombosis has the fastest progression leading to myocardial infarction, with sudden symptoms, the patient has continuous chest pain, accompanied by cold sweat in the head and neck area. If experiencing these symptoms, the patient should be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible.
Long-term use of anticoagulants also means an increased risk of bleeding . Therefore, during use, if there are signs of bruising under the skin, bleeding gums, stomach bleeding, nosebleeds, stools the color of coffee grounds… the patient needs to be re-examined for further examination. Adjust your medication dose accordingly, but you absolutely must not stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor. In addition, patients need to comply with the regular check-up regimen according to the doctor’s appointment schedule.
2. About diet
In addition, it is necessary to avoid red meat such as beef, dog meat… to avoid increasing cholesterol and aggravating coronary atherosclerosis .
With fats, you should use easily digestible fats (unsaturated fats) such as vegetable oils (olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil…) or from nuts, avocado, fish oil; Minimize animal fat, fast food, and animal skin.
Need to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to the menu. Drink plenty of water (except in patients with severe heart failure) and limit stimulants and sugary drinks. You should drink 8 – 10 glasses of water a day to increase the excretion of contrast material used during intervention. In addition to water, patients should also drink low-fat milk, yogurt, unsweetened milk or, preferably, soy milk.
3. For movement after stent placement
After stent placement, the patient can still function normally. Walk slowly after about 2 days. Avoid vigorous exercise that affects the incision. During the first week, patients can practice walking on flat surfaces. They should not drive, travel long distances, ride bicycles, carry loads or participate in heavy physical activities. From week 2, gradually increase your fitness level as comfortable as possible, walk a little farther but don’t jog.
If the patient with a stent has a puncture wound in the thigh: Do not walk or exercise too much. Do not lift objects heavier than 4.5 kg or pull or push heavy objects when working for 5-7 days after the procedure. Do not exercise strenuously for about 5 days after the procedure. Patients can climb stairs after stent placement but should be careful to go slowly to ensure safety. Patients should gradually increase the time and intensity of exercise after one week of the procedure.
If the patient with a stent has a puncture wound in the hand: Do not use the wrist to lift objects weighing more than 900 grams within 24 hours of stent placement. Do not exercise for at least 2 days after the procedure. Do not work with tools that require precision and hand flexibility such as driving, using sharp objects such as cutlery, etc. for at least 2 days after the procedure.
The most recommended way to exercise: walk ≥30 minutes/time and 5 times/week. If chest pain or difficulty breathing occurs, stop exercising immediately and quickly contact your doctor for treatment. Control stress, create a comfortable and healthy living environment.
4. For sexual activity
Patients after stent placement should not have sex for the first 2 weeks after the procedure. Normally you can have sex if you feel really healthy and can walk about 30 stairs. When having sex, you should create a warm, comfortable atmosphere and give the initiative to your partner. Do not use drugs that help create excitement during sex without a doctor’s prescription.
