Images

Read More

Patient Instructions

You had angioplasty when you were in the hospital. You may have also had a stent placed. Both of these were done to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart. You may have had a heart attack or angina (chest pain) before the procedure.

See also:

• Angina - discharge
• Heart attack - discharge

You may have pain in your groin area, arm, or wrist. This is from the catheter (flexible tube) that was inserted to do the procedure. You may also have some bruising around and below the incision.

The chest pain and shortness of breath you had before the procedure should be much better now.

In general, people who have angioplasty can walk around within 6 hours after the procedure. Complete recovery takes a week or less. Keep the area where the catheter was inserted dry for 24 to 48 hours.

If the doctor put the catheter in through your groin:

• Walking short distances on a flat surface is okay. Limit going up and down stairs to around 2 times a day for the first 2 to 3 days.
• Do NOT do yard work, drive, or play sports for at least 2 days, or for the number of days your doctor tells you to wait.

If the doctor put the catheter in your arm or wrist:

• Do NOT lift anything heavier than 10 pounds (a little more than a gallon of milk) with the arm the catheter was in.
• Do NOT do any heavy pushing or pulling with that arm.

For a catheter in your groin, arm, or wrist:

• Avoid sexual activity for 2 to 5 days. Ask your doctor when it will be okay to start again.
• Do NOT take a bath or swim for the first week. You may take showers, but make sure the area where the catheter was inserted does not get wet for the first 24 to 48 hours.
• You should be able to return to work in 2 to 3 days if strenuous activity is not part of your job.

You will need care for your incision.

• Your doctor or nurse will tell you how often to change your dressing.
• If your incision bleeds or swells up, lie down and put pressure on it for 30 minutes.

Angioplasty does not cure the cause of the blockage in your arteries. Your arteries may become narrow again. Eat a heart-healthy diet, exercise, stop smoking (if you smoke), and reduce stress to help lower your chances of having a blocked artery again. Your health care provider may give you medicine to help lower your cholesterol. See also: Heart disease - risk factors

Most people take aspirin or another medicine called clopidogrel (Plavix) after this procedure. These medicines are blood thinners. They keep your blood from forming clots in your arteries and stent. A blood clot can lead to a heart attack. Take the medicines exactly as your doctor tells you. Do not stop taking them without talking with your doctor first.

See also:

• Clopidogrel (Plavix)
• Aspirin and your heart or blood vessels

You should know how to take care of your angina if it returns. See also: Angina - when you have chest pain

Call your doctor if:

• There is bleeding at the catheter insertion site that does not stop when you apply pressure.
• There is swelling at the catheter site.
• Your leg or arm below where the catheter was inserted changes color, becomes cool to touch, or is numb.
• The small incision for your catheter becomes red or painful, or yellow or green discharge is draining from it.
• You have chest pain or shortness of breath that does not go away with rest.
• Your pulse feels irregular -- very slow (fewer than 60 beats), or very fast (over 100 to 120 beats) a minute.
• You have dizziness, fainting, or you are very tired.
• You are coughing up blood or yellow or green mucus.
• You have problems taking any of your heart medicines.
• You have chills or a fever over 101 °F.

Drug-eluting stents - discharge; PCI - discharge; Percutaneous coronary intervention - discharge; Balloon angioplasty - discharge; Coronary angioplasty - discharge; Coronary artery angioplasty - discharge; Cardiac angioplasty - discharge; PTCA - discharge; Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty - discharge; Heart artery dilatation - discharge

Boden WE, O'rourke RA, Teo KK, et al. Optimal Medical Therapy with or without PCI for Stable Coronary Disease. N Engl J Med. 2007 Mar 26; [Epub ahead of print].

Winslow RD, Sharma SK, Kim MC. Restenosis and drug-eluting stents. Mt Sinai J Med. 2005 Mar;72(2):81-9.

Updated by: Larry A. Weinrauch MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Outcomes Research, Watertown, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.