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After the procedure is completed, the patient will be moved to a cardiac recovery room. He or she may feel groggy from the sedative. The catheter insertion site may be bruised and sore.
If the groin area was used as the point of catheter insertion, the patient will be instructed to lie in bed with legs out straight. The physician may choose to use one of two techniques for removing the sheath that was placed at the initiation of the procedure. The traditional technique is to wait until the effects of the anticoagulant have passed (four to six hours) and then to apply pressure while removing the sheath from the femoral artery. A newer technique allows the sheath to be removed immediately after the procedure through the use of hemostatic devices that seal or stitch the femoral artery.
If the wrist or arm was used as the point of catheter insertion, then the patient does not need to stay in bed. Throughout the post-procedure monitoring, the point of catheter entrance will be checked for bleeding, swelling or inflammation. Vital signs will be continuously monitored during this observation period. Usually, the patient will stay overnight for further observation and is then typically free to go home.
Patients are given instructions from the medical staff regarding the following:
- Exercise and exertion. Patients are reminded to refrain from lifting heavy objects and engaging in strenuous exercise or sexual activity for 24 hours after the procedure or longer, as directed by the physician.
- Care of the incision area. Bruising and soreness is possible and normal. Undue pain, swelling or inflammation may require medical attention.
- The function and use of medications. Many angioplasty patients will remain on anti-anginal medications for the rest of their lives.
- A secondary prevention program will be continued or instituted (e.g., diet, weight loss, blood pressure control, exercise).
- Other medications such as antiplatelets (e.g., aspirin) and cholesterol reducing drugs (e.g., statins) will probably be continued indefinitely.
- Smoking cessation. Patients who smoke are strongly encouraged to quit smoking after angioplasty. Studies have shown that cigarette smoking decreases the effectiveness of balloon angioplasty and raises the patient’s risk of a heart attack or other cardiac event.
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