A cardiac stent is a tiny tube that is used to increase blood flow through clogged or blocked arteries within the heart. Typically, a stent is placed following angioplasty, a procedure that helps clear fatty plaques from inside a heart artery. When the stent is permanently placed within the heart, it expands and holds the previously clogged portion of the heart artery open. Patients should discuss the potential side effects of cardiac stent placement with a cardiologist prior to undergoing this procedure.
Chest Discomfort
Certain patients can experience chest discomfort as a side effect of cardiac stent placement, Stanford Hospital and Clinics report. Chest pain may be exacerbated by physical activity and can limit a patient's ability to move about normally. In certain cases, chest pain side effects diminish within a few days following treatment with this procedure. Patients who experience persistent, severe or sudden chest pain should seek prompt medical care, as this side effect can be a sign of a heart attack.
Heart Rate Irregularities or Heart Attack
Placement of a cardiac stent can result in heart-related side effects in treated patients. The stent can irritate the heart muscle, which may cause it to abnormally or irregularly contract or beat, MedlinePlus explains. This side effect, called arrhythmia, is typically temporary but can cause chest discomfort in certain patients. Infrequently, patients can experience a heart attack during or immediately following cardiac stent placement. A heart attack is a life-threatening side effect that requires immediate medical attention. Heart attack symptoms can include chest or upper body pain, nausea, sweating, fatigue or dizziness.
Blood Clots or Blood Vessel Damage
Patients who undergo cardiac stent placement are at an increased risk of developing blood clots or experiencing blood vessel damage. Blood clots are thick, sticky collections of blood that adhere to the interior wall of blood vessels. These blood clots can interfere with blood flow to a patient's vital organs, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. Blood vessel damage during cardiac stent placement may require immediate bypass surgery to repair the injured vessel, according to MayoClinic.com. Though these side effects of cardiac stent placement are rare, they can be life-threatening if they occur.
Allergic Reaction
An allergic reaction to the metal components of the stent can occur as a side effect of this procedure, the University of Maryland Medical Center warns. Depending upon the severity of the allergic reaction, affected patients may develop chest pain, heart rate irregularities, breathing difficulties or body swelling. Patients who develop an allergic reaction as a side effect of cardiac stent placement require immediate medical intervention to have the stent removed.
References
- American Heart Association: Stent Procedure
- MedlinePlus: Angioplasty and Stent Placement
- Stanford Hospital and Clinics: Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty/Stent Placement
- MayoClinic.com: Coronary Angioplasty and Stents - Risks
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Angioplasty and Stent Placement
