Symptoms of heart failure after coated stents

[sloomis54]

At 61, my spouse had 99% collapse of largest right coronary artery. 2 coated stents inserted. 75% failure of left coronary artery at branch. 1 coated stent inserted.  Initial good outcome.  5 years later, spouse is continually tired, low grade depression, back pain, no energy, skin turns grey when exposed to warm (not hot) weather and/or minimal exertion.  Spouse taking lipitor, plavix, 80mg aspirin.  Dr. only performs blood tests x1/year. No stress test since stents implanted. Spouse is overweight (abdomen).

History of heart disease both parents (deceased).

What are the symptoms of stent failure?  When these were inserted, I was informed that they would only be viable for 5 years.  His condition is becoming progressively worse, but Dr. dismisses symptoms.  Am I concerned for no reason?

[sloomis54]

It took four months of 'prodding' to get spouse to admit to a little 'chest tightness'.  That symptom (which he may well not be telling me about), plus all the ones I listed before, were the same symptoms he exhibited prior to the stents being implanted.  When Dr. was asked about stress test, Dr. responded, "there's no use in it, we couldn't do anything anyway."  Low-energy perhaps was not the most descriptive phrase - I'm talking NO energy - resting and out of breath after walking 20 feet to the kitchen, or up the stairs to bed.

I am under no delusions that spouse will regulate diet, stop smoking, or insist on proper treatment from Dr..  I need to know when to prepare, and what to expect.  We have children.

[Cleveland Clinic]

There may not be any symptoms, but certainly with the feelings of low energy and apathy one would like to perform a stress test to make sure that they have not re-stenosed. I am not sure that these symptoms are related to heart blockages. Were these the symptoms that led him to get the stents in the first place? If so then certainly I would be concerned for recurrence of restenosis.