How to Recover From Angioplasty

The amount of time required to recover from an angioplasty depends on the extent of blockage and length of the procedure. You're awake during the procedure, so recovery from anesthesia is not necessary.

Instructions

• 1

  Expect to spend the first few hours following an angioplasty in a special care unit to recover. These rooms may be part of the Coronary Care Unit, the Telemetry Unit or other special care area.

• 2

  Prepare to lie flat without bending your legs for several hours (usually 6 to 8) if the angioplasty was done through the artery in the groin. Entrance through the arm does not require lying flat.

• 3

  Anticipate lying still for several hours while you recover. This allows the blood vessels to seal completely whether the incision was through the arm or groin.

• 4

  Prepare for nurses to frequently check your blood pressure, heart rate and insertion site for bleeding. Protocol varies according to hospital standards. A machine to monitor your vital signs will record your blood pressure, oxygen level and heart rate every 15 minutes for the first hour and hourly after that, unless otherwise directed by your physician.

• 5

  Drink plenty of liquids when you return home. This will help your body remove the contrast dye used in the procedure to view the arteries.

• 6

  Follow the doctor's orders and avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting until you're released to do so.

Take Preventive Action to Avoid Future Blockage

• 7

  Stop smoking. This is critical in allowing the blood vessels to function more efficiently in circulating the blood.

• 8

  Lower your cholesterol levels. Eating a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet may do this, or medication may be required to effectively reach a therapeutic level.

• 9

  Exercise regularly. This is essential in overall body conditioning, as well as for cardiac health. Your doctor will likely recommend a time in cardiac rehabilitation to learn an appropriate and effective exercise routine for your level of fitness.

• 10

  Maintain a careful watch for other health conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

• 11

  Understand that you may be placed on medication therapy with blood thinners. This may be aspirin or some other anti-platelet agent. It's important to follow your doctor's instructions for daily preventive care.

• 12

  Explore possible clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov to keep up on the latest options for angioplasty interventions (see Resources below).