Stents

[Sweetwaterguy]

I am a 65 year old male, 6'5" and 210 lbs.  A year ago following successful a fib ablation,  a  CT suggested 40-70% blockages in two arteries.  I can walk and golf 18 holes on a hilly golf course and hike 10 miles at high elevation in the Wyoming mountains.  Yet, I tend to get short of breath when I carry heavy objects up stairs or when doing physical work that requires lifting or straining.   I know stents do not extend life, but would a stenting the arteries give me more energy for my active lifestyle?

[Lee Kirksey, MD]

Hello
It sounds like you are pretty active and have good exercise tolerance. If you have coronary blockage, Im sure that at some point you underwent a stress test. If that stress test did not show what we refer to as reversible ischemia, then youre doctors probably do not think that the blockages were significant enough to cause problems. In that case, they thought that treating them would not provide you benefit.

Unless you are having shortness of breath because of angina then treatment of your blood vessel would not increase your energy. Consult your doctor and if he gives you the clean bill of health continue your active lifestyle with the hope of safely and carefully increasing your endurance to lifting.

Ten miles in the hills of Wyoming is not bad and I think that would probably place you in the top 5% of Americans for physical endurance. Good Luck

[ruloff]

I have the same problem.   Can walk and walk, but using the upper boby causes shortness of breath and I get tired very fast.  I have 7 stents.   I jogged 2 miles, very slow jog, 7 months after the heart attack and it did not cause the same problem as using the upper body.  But I did feel bad  for a few weeks and have not tried it again.  Heart attack was in Dec 05.