How long is the hospital stay after a heart attack with stent?
The insertion of the stent itself usually takes between 30 minutes and one hour. If several stents are inserted at the same time, the time may be longer. Since stent surgeries today are usually performed using a catheter (a thin wire that is pushed from the artery in the thigh or forearm to the heart), general anesthesia is not necessary.
As a result, the affected persons are usually quickly fit enough to leave the hospital bed after the operation. The actual length of stay in hospital, apart from the insertion of the stent, usually depends on additional illnesses. If the stent operation is performed as a planned procedure, it can even be performed on an outpatient basis, so that the patient can leave the hospital the same day.
Afterwards, however, physical exertion should be avoided for a certain time. Emergency stent placement is more complicated and therefore often more complicated. The subsequent stay in hospital depends mainly on the underlying disease and can last from 1 or 2 days up to several weeks including intensive care monitoring.
What medication do I need after stent implantation?
After a heart attack, various drugs are needed to support the heart. Depending on which complications develop. Especially for the stent, blood thinners are always needed.
As long as the affected person is in hospital, the blood is usually diluted with heparin. This is administered in the form of injections into the fatty tissue directly under the skin on the abdomen. Later, there are various ways to dilute the blood with medication. ASS and clopidogrel are particularly popular. In the meantime, more and more patients are also switching to Marcumar or NOAKS (New Oral Anti-Coagulants), i.e. blood thinners that can be taken in the form of tablets.
Do you need rehab after a heart attack with a stent?
Regardless of whether a stent is used, rehabilitation after a heart attack is very useful. However, rehabilitation is especially helpful after stent implantation. There, one learns to reassess one’s own abilities. Particular attention is paid to physical fitness. Since it is difficult to assess one’s own body immediately after a stent has been inserted, one should rely on a rehabilitation center where constant supervision by medically trained personnel is guaranteed.
