The heart is among the vital body organs in the human body. It serves the unique purpose of pumping the blood throughout the human body. However, there are a variety of heart diseases that hinder its functionality. Such a disease is coronary heart disease where the arteries build up with plaque, thus reducing blood flow to the heart (Felman, 2019). Stents are important in treating individuals with cardiac disease. Cardiac stents are small elastic tubes made of metallic mesh that are used to open narrowed arteries or help treat a heart attack, thus reducing symptoms like chest pains (Beckerman, 2018). Stents are considered to be relatively better than surgery as they are not invasive and cause little discomfort. However, they are risky as they could cause a blood clot that might cause the arteries to narrow or block the arteries completely (Beckerman, 2018). Patients who have stents installed in them end up taking blood thinners indefinitely. Stents were created as an alternative to balloon angioplasty which had a 30% chance of failure (Beckerman, 2018). Currently, there are three types of stents used in the world, while more generations of stent designs are being designed.
From the information on the website, I would consider having a stent used on my family member or myself. I have always opted for a safer and more convenient method of treatment. This means that I would rather have a minimally invasive treatment plan than having to be put under anesthesia (Beckerman, 2018). There are many complications known to come from being put under such as memory loss and temporary confusion, nausea and vomiting and difficulty in passing urine all which can be avoided by opting for a stent (Newman, 2018). From the website, I was surprised to learn that even after the stent is placed in the artery, the patient has to continue to take blood thinners to prevent blood from clotting or the arteries from thickening again (Beckerman, 2018). I was also shocked to know that even after having the stent placed in the artery, one could develop critical conditions that will eventually lead to the coronary bypass operation.
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References
Beckerman, J. (2018). What You Need to Know About Stents. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/stents-types-and-uses#1
Felman, A. (2019). What to know about coronary heart disease. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/184130
Newman, (2018). What to know about general anesthesia. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265592
