HEART DISEASE COMMUNITY
arterial dissection

arterial dissection

5 1/2 years ago I had a heart attack and 2 stents were placed in 2 arteries.  A week ago I had another heart attack and when they did the angiagram with the balloon to check out any blockage, they discovered by arteries were clear.  However, below the first stent, they found that the artery was shredded or torn.  They went to the other artery where the other stent was and noticed a bulge.  thinking it was blocked, they inserted a balloon and it started to tear, too.  They backed out and have me on blood pressure medication to keep my bp extremely low.  I have had extreme stress since June and it reached a high peak in Dec-January.  I am working at managing my stress and the doctors are hopeful that if I can keep my blood pressure low and my stress down, the dissection will heal itself.  they say the dissections are in the back of my heart and if they had been in the front, they would have done bypass surgery at that time.  Not sure why.  Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Related Discussions
2 Comments Post a Comment
Blank
976897_tn?1317787410
When a cardiologist inserts a stent, he has to decide on the pressure to inflate the stent to sufficiently push the stent against the artery lining, making a tight fit. If the pressure is too high, the stent puts a strain on the artery and it can become weak. Also, if there is a piece of particularly hard plaque, this when squeezed again the artery, can cause damage. I assume the 'bulge' is scarred tissue because it is on the inside of the artery, and they wanted to balloon it. This makes me assume also that maybe the stent is the bare metal type which doesn't prohibit scarred tissue growth. However, what concerns me more than anything, is the fact that these stents have been in situ for 5.5 years. Surely any strengthening would have occurred by now. If they haven't resolved by now, what makes them think they will?
If it was my heart, I'm not sure I would believe what they say about low pressure and healing etc. I think I would go to my GP and say I want a second opinion and ask to see a cardiologist with a lot of experience. If your vessel started to tear when he inflated the balloon, I'm led to believe the stent is perhaps too expanded and straining the vessel too much. I know if it was me, I would seek a second opinion to make sure that the vessel is not under too much strain.
Blank
Post a Comment
To
Comment
Post A Comment
Go
Blank
Heart Rhythm Tracker
Log your arrhythmias
Start Tracking Now
Blank
Cholesterol Tracker
Log cholesterol over time
Start Tracking Now
MedHelp Health Answers
Submit
Top Heart Disease Answerers
976897_tn?1317787410
Blank
ed34
watford, United Kingdom
159619_tn?1318997813
Blank
erijon
Salt Lake City, UT
63984_tn?1333142839
Blank
Flycaster305
OR
187666_tn?1331176945
Blank
ireneo
Portland, OR
237039_tn?1264261657
Blank
ChatterAlly
Lake Jackson, TX
1124887_tn?1313758491
Blank
is_something_wrong
Oslo, Norway
RSS Expert Activity
1741471_tn?1336957856
Blank
LIVE WEBINAR TOMORROW!-SUPER BODY, ... Blank
May 22 by Michael Gonzalez-WallaceBlank
2126606_tn?1335910182
Blank
Fibromyalgia Awareness
May 11 by Clare Waismann Kavin, RASBlank
2126606_tn?1335910182
Blank
Opioid-induced hyperalgesia reduces...
May 03 by Clare Waismann Kavin, RASBlank