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What is a Heart Stent?
What is a Heart Stent?TranscriptDuring your angioplasty procedure, your doctor may decide a stent will furtherimprove your heart health. A stent is a small metal device that is placed into yourartery to increase blood flow.Using a catheter, the stent will be advanced to the spot where the plaque wascompressed, and inflated to expand the stent against the artery wall. The stent willstay in place providing structural support and reducing the risk that this part of theartery will narrow again.There are two types of stents – bare metal stents and drug-eluting stents. Overa period of months, new tissue will grow over the bare metal stent covering itcompletely. A drug-eluting stent is a metal stent that has been coated with a drug.This drug is released slowly and decreases the speed that new tissue grows.Stents are not used in every procedure. Your doctor will decide if a stent is rightfor you based on artery size, the amount and location of the blockage, and otherconsiderations.If a stent is used, you will be given a special medication, called an antiplatelet agent,to prevent blood clots from forming. Depending on the type of stent used, the amountof time you need to use this medication will vary. The angioplasty and stentingprocedures usually take about one hour.If you have a drug-eluting stent, you will take aspirin every day. You’ll receive an I.D.card identifying the type of stent that was used. Keep this card with you at all times.Not all angioplasties require stenting. If you need an angioplasty, your doctor willdecide if a stent is right for you, based on the location and size of the blockage.If you do have a stent, talk to your healthcare provider about any guidelines you canfollow to ensure a healthy recovery.20% gradient meshhealthclipshealthclipshealthclipshealthclips4% gradient meshThis program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, orsuitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.hc_ha_10209_98_en_t00002.pdf © Milner-Fenwick, Inc.healthclips5% gradient mesh
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