Hi During the last 3 yrs, I have had 4 angyograms.2 needed stents due to blockages in the main arteries. The last was back in October. However I am still having pain in the chest which seems to go to my neck and upper left arm. I have been perscribed Nicorandil (10mg). I dread having any more angiograms and dont want to appear neurotic. What should I do next? The tablet do seem to be helping with breathing and to a certain extent I am able to walk further without being out of breath. (I am 72yrs) Do I just have to know my limitations and learn to live with this?
Hello and thank you for using Chat Doctor. I carefully read your question and I totally understand your concern. As you are a person diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, meaning having problems with coronary arteries that supply the heart, we allay suspect heart problems when a chest pain appears. You haven't mention the result of the last angiography. I should inform you that there is a slow risk for your stents to be occluded. This risk to have stenosis or blockage in the stents that you have is bigger in the first 6 months. So, if you tell that you do have chest pain it is important to exclude a stent stenosis. Or you might have stenosis in arteries that should be treated just by medications. But only coronaro-graphy could tell this. There is not a limitation for angiogram number if the doctor has strong suspects that it is something wrong. To decide if you should do coronaro-graphy again or not we should do a balance. If I was your treating doctor I will judge your pain if it is typical or not, but you explain it as a typical one and if it is possible a stress test to see the electrocardiogram evolution. So, it is important to know the full result of your last angiogram and then decide what to do. Hope I was helpful. Wish you good health. Best regards.