Need your expert advise on stents.

[Marcie]

I had written about my father's condition under "Stents After Bypass Surgery" a week ago.  What I am wanting to know is, is it routine to go in and keep putting in stents or is this just solving the problem for the moment?  My father still is having chest pain and he goes to the couch to lay until it subsides.  He has been waiting to see another doctor in WV and finally he has an appointment Thursday morning.  I have gathered info for him from this web site.  He is really interested in coming to Cleveland Clinic to be seen and is going to ask for a referral from his doctor if in fact the stent has clogged or the other arteries have shut down also.  He just thinks that no one can fix his problem and he is going to die (this is odd for him because he never complains and now is at the point where he will not tell anyone when he has pain).So I guess the questions I have are:

1.  Is it common to keep going in and putting in stents?
2.  If in fact the other arteries have shut down, what would be
    his best option for fixing this?  And if the stent has
    clogged?
3.  In his case, with severe arterosclerosis at 49 yrs old, does
    he have any hope of regaining a normal life or is there a
    cure for this disease?

Gathering all the information I can before he see's the doctor in his state is very important to me to get him where he needs to be to get the kind of care and treatment that he needs. I just don't want to see him go thru this over and over.

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear Marcie,

Thank you for your question.  We would be happy to see your father here and he can make an appointment by calling the number below and asking to see one of our cardiologists.  I would recommend Dr. Matt Deedy.

1. Is it common to keep going in and putting in stents?
Yes and no.  Multiple stents can be placed if needed but often medication and/or repeat surgery is needed for stents that continue to clog.

     2. If in fact the other arteries have shut down, what would be  his best option for fixing this? And if the stent has
     clogged?
A:  Again it depends.  It could be repeat angioplasty or repeat surgery depending on the type and location of the blockagese.

     3. In his case, with severe arterosclerosis at 49 yrs old, does
     he have any hope of regaining a normal life or is there a
     cure for this disease?
A: Unfortunately there is no "cure" for this disease but I think with good treatment and lifestyle changes on his part (i.e. quitting smoking, starting to exercise, etc.) he has every reason to expect to live a normal life.

[John]

Marcie, if it is of any comfort, I too had multiple stents put in to help open multiple blockages on 3 diferent occaisions and all closed off again.  Finally bypass surgery was done to correct the problem and I feel greatand its been over a year!

I think half the battle is to get the right attitude about heart disease and adjust accordingly. I fully expect to live to a ripe old age and I'm 43.

Good luck!

[marcie/response to John's comment]

Thank you for your comment.  Although, my father had a quad. bypass first, now 2 stents, and still having problems.  I believe I would feel much better if I knew that a bypass would have solved his problem at the beginning, but 3 of the 4 closed off, which makes this so hard to deal with.  I appreciate your time in commenting on his situation.

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Thanks for your comments.