(Reuters Health) – Patients who have so-called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures to restore blood flow to the heart may be more likely to have complications with non-cardiac surgery than other people, a U.S. study suggests.
PCI is commonly performed for ischemic heart disease, or heart problems caused by narrowed arteries, and for so-called acute coronary syndrome, which is typically caused by clots or plaque in the arteries. During PCI procedures, doctors thread a thin catheter through the artery to place a tiny mesh cage known as a stent at the site of blockage to prop open the vessel and restore blood flow to the heart.
Patients who have a coronary stent placed are known to have an increased risk of cardiac complications during and after non-cardiac surgeries, especially when operations are done soon after PCI, said Dr. Nathaniel Smilowitz of NYU School of Medicine, the lead author of the study. That’s why clinical guidelines recommend that, when possible,…
Source news reuters.com, click here to read the full news.
