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Question:
Is there a limit to the number of stents placed for treatment of coronary artery disease?
My dad has a total of 6 stents. Four were placed before June '12 and he had bypass surgery in June '12. He has had 2 more stents placed since. He continues to have angina. He has had several mild heart attacks. We were told that his bypass has semi-failed. He has CAD, Diabetes and Hypertension. He is on several meds. At what point do the Dr.'s decide no more stents? How many can he have? Is there a way to reverse CAD? He does cardiac rehab, meds and watches his diet. Thank you.
submitted by Roxanne from Omaha, Nebraska on 12/15/2012
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Neil E. Strickman, MD
Stents do not have an expiration. If the anatomy fits, the cardiologist and patient always prefer a stent because they can go home in 24 hours, the recovery is immediate, no surgery is involved. There is no limit to the number of stents he can have. To reverse CAD, one must control risk factors – weight, diet, cholesterol, exercise, diabetes and high blood pressure.
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Updated December 2012
