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Going to get a cardiac catheterization next week. questions ??

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Posted 8/14/2006 6:06 PM (GMT -8)
Hello everyone, (OK, my second post)

After much research I have made the decision to get the cardiac catheterization procedure.

What I just found out is that they will not place a stint in the artery unless its 75% or more blocked.
This is a relief to me as I was afraid they might put one in even if they saw just a little blockage.

Son my question to everyone is What about metal vs (Coated) eluding stint's?
I read pros and cons on each..

Will my stint (If I get one) last for many years ?

Why do stints go bad in some people ?

Thanks for your thoughts.. Phil
Posted 8/15/2006 2:25 PM (GMT -8)
I'm glad to hear you've decided to proceed with the cardiac cath...it truly is the best way to know for sure what's going on.

The last I knew, my cardiologist at Mayo Clinic swears by the Cypher drug-eluting stent, from his personal experience and studies he's familiar with. I didn't have the chance to research the options until after I had one, as I had a 99% blockage. I've had mine almost 2 years, and have had no problems. A repeat cardiac cath was done almost 14 mos after placement, and the artery was as clean and clear as the day he placed it.

I do know there is good data to support that the drug eluting stents reduce the restenosis (blockage) rate from almost 30% to less than 10%, probably less than 5%. There is some data (though perhaps not very good data) to suggest there is a higher thrombosis rate, especially in the first 30 days, with the drug coated rather than bare metal stents, but if you take your Plavix and aspirin this shouldn't be much of a problem.

If your cardiologist prefers to use bare metal stents, I'd want to know why, as my belief is that the drug eluting kind are the "standard of care" these days.

As for how long they last, they are made of stainless steel, if my memory serves me correctly, so theoretically they should last forever....though that is a question I quite frankly haven't had the nerve to ask my cardiologist (and haven't happened upon any research that actually discusses it). I do know he told me if it ever closed up, he should be able to just thread another one through there and "layer" them in.

Hope this helps. Good luck, and hang in there!!! With luck, you will have no blockage, or only a minor one that can be treated with medication, diet, and exercise.
Posted 8/15/2006 3:54 PM (GMT -8)

yeah  yep, that was all pretty accurate. i have had my stents for 20 months and just went for a test to see if there are any new blockages. i have had the drug eluding placed also,they are know to be better, you can however else where reclog,in other p

arts of the arteries, but that shoud not happen if you can keep in shape. 

Posted 8/16/2006 4:29 PM (GMT -8)

Hi there all,

DG do you have the name of the test you just had?  Did you get the results yet?  I do not need another Cath. I had an adenosine nuclear cardiolite 7 weeks ago and it was normal but I am not sure if that is a good one to show blcokages or restenoses?

Hope everyone is doing good.

Posted 8/16/2006 7:08 PM (GMT -8)
Hi All:

I am 56 year female and new to the group. I too will be undergoing an angiogram (cath) in a couple of weeks. Had all the other tests including monitors for BP and Heart/ Stress/Echo also Cardiolite which showed some sort of shadow as my cardio specialist mentioned. I have been on BP meds for the passed 7 years now. So my cardiologist now wants me to have the star of all tests as she called it the angiogram! Anyway, i have never had this and a bit nervous about the idea of having this catheter inserted in my artery. If blockage is noticed do they immediately put in a stent or is this something that is done later i am a bit puzzled about it all. My 89yr old mother is still around today even with heart disease so i guess it's genetic also as well as probably having a high fat diet all my life! Anyhow, could someone please give me some advice on what to expect! Thanks!
Posted 8/16/2006 8:09 PM (GMT -8)
Yes, they usually put in a stent at the same time as they do an angiogram if you need one and are a good candidate for one. You will be sedated for the procedure but will be awake. They will make a tiny incision in your groin (sometimes they use your arm, but I think the standard now is groin) and insert a catheter up through your femoral artery. I've had it done twice and had no pain, but did feel some strange feelings in my chest (though the cardiologist insists I shouldn't have felt anything). You will have to lie flat on your back, without moving your leg, for several hours after the procedure so that the blood will clot sufficiently so that the catheter can be removed. (Your femoral artery is NOT a vessel you want to bleed from). It's natural to be nervous, but in the hands of a good cardiologist, you will do fine.

I too am almost 56 and my mom is also 89...but I got my Dad's bad genes for heart disease. My mom's ticker is fine!!!
Posted 8/17/2006 5:34 AM (GMT -8)

I too wish you well.  Make sure your cardiologist does not have you so out that he puts a student in his place and the student does the stent (if you need this)  This happened to me and the &^^$^%$^* student was having trouble deploying the TAXUS stent thus almost causing me to have By-Pass surgery.  I woke up to this student all excited and I got excited (first time cath) and there was exchange of nasty words.  Know who your doctors are and ask lots of questions before the procedure.  My issues were a fluke.  Most go without a hitch.  

Remember PATIENT's BILL of RIGHTs !~! 

Good Luck to you.

Posted 8/17/2006 8:14 AM (GMT -8)

:-)  i will chime in here also and say that an angiogram can be dangerous, however, i think problems are rare with a good cardiologist,  

ellie your story was awful what a travisty that your doc thought that was okay without permission.

Posted 8/17/2006 9:44 AM (GMT -8)
I just wanted to say that I have had 7 caths done with no problems at all, just to ease the minds of the ones that are getting ready to have one. I just had a balloon placed about a month ago, I had a 90% blockage. I've also had quad bypass surgery, I had 5 blockages. I was 44 when I had my heart attack. I hope this will help the fear that goes along with these procedures as I know very well. Good Luck to you all!

Wanda
Posted 8/17/2006 2:19 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks for your info all. Actually, i went for a visit to my general practitioner today who did refer me to the cardiologist and now in looking over her copy of the other test results now wants me to have a second opinion before the specialist's office goes  ahead and books  the angiogram. She  feels  it's not necessary but does suggest a second opinion is needed. She also  feels my BP is very up and down due to the anxiety which i suffer with and believe you me during these passed few weeks i have been going through a lot of it with these tests!!!

Post Edited (Sonni) : 8/17/2006 4:26:12 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/27/2006 10:59 AM (GMT -8)
Went for my angiogram (catheterization) yesterday and it went very well. No blockages. They gave me a sedative before and during the procedure and i did not feel a thing during the procedure. Well doped up perhaps! Only felt the needle for the iv where  the nurse tried twice in my right arm with no luck then the left wrist area  she was able to get  a vein.   Otherwise everthing else went well.

Posted 10/2/2006 2:15 PM (GMT -8)
:-)  Sonni, so glad all went well with your angiogram, i am a bit jealous you lucky dog, no blockages, i am green with envy.  you can take a big sigh of releif now becasue it takes many years for blockages to take place,  good for you. 
Posted 10/3/2006 6:12 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks Dreamgirl. It's still a wakeup call though to be careful what i eat and to make sure i do some sort of exercise.  Also i will still be on meds for the high blood pressure though my 24 hour reading did come back and my readings were good at home as well as at the office. It just seems that when i go see the doc my B/P seems to go way up!! strange isn't it!!!! eyes
Posted 10/11/2006 12:44 AM (GMT -8)
Stents are titanium or plastic. As stainless would be dangerous if they put you in a MRI due to the magnetic fields generated by the MRI machine.

If they dug you up 500 years after you die the titanium stents would still be good.
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