What Are Stents?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many treatments available to help treat the conditions that contribute to heart disease, including the use of stents.

Identification

• A stent is a wire mesh tube inserted into an artery that holds the partially obstructed passageway open.

Benefits

• By holding open the artery, the stent allows oxygenated blood to flow more easily through the body and taking stress off the heart, which decreases angina, or chest pain.

Features

• A doctor will insert the stent during a surgical procedure, and as the patient heals from surgery, the lining of the artery will grow over the stent, making it a permanent part of the cell.

Types

• There are two types of stents: bare metal, which are basic wire mesh tubes, and drug-eluting stents, which are covered with a medication that dissolves over time and helps prevent the artery from closing again.

Considerations

• After the stent surgery, the patient will need to take blood-thinning medications for the rest of her life to prevent blood clots, according to the American Heart Association. Normally, doctors prescribe a drug such as clopidogrel for the first 12 months following the insertion of the stent, followed by aspirin therapy thereafter.