Discharge Instructions After Coronary Angioplasty and Directional Coronary Atherectomy/Stent

Prior to your discharge, you should have received information on the following:

Medications
Upon discharge your nurse and doctor will give you an explanation of all your medications. These instructions will include the medications' name, dosage, schedule, and possible side effects.

Diet
You should follow a low cholesterol diet. Instructions regarding this diet will be given by the dietitian prior to your discharge.

Risk Factors
Your risk factors for the development of arteriosclerosis have been discussed. You should be aware of these risk factors and be making plans to modify your lifestyle to reduce these risk factors.

Common Activities

Bathing Showers are usually allowed within 24 hours after you are allowed out of bed. Wash normally, with any kind of soap and water but do not apply unusual pressure at the site of the catheter insertion. Pat dry instead of rubbing the skin dry around the site. No baths for three days because the bath water may be a media for infection into the blood stream.

Site Care A band-aid may or may not be applied; if it is, it can be removed; bruising will gradually fade within one to two weeks; a hematoma (collection of blood in the tissue) may be painful to touch but should also reduce in size and tenderness within one to two weeks. If increased bruising, swelling or infection is noted, your doctor should be notified immediately. Also, watch for any signs of infection such as drainage, warmth, redness or increased temperature from the site.

Activity Most patients who have had angioplasty, atherectomy, or stent can return to their daily routine within three days to one week unless they have heart damage (heart attacks). Patients with heart damage may be told to resume activity more slowly. Check with your doctor. All patients should avoid lifting anything greater than 5-10 pounds the first few days home.

Driving Driving can be resumed within a few days to one week unless you have been told you had heart damage (heart attack). Patients with heart damage should check with their cardiologist before driving. All patients should arrange to have someone drive them home from the hospital.

Working Ask your doctor when you will be able to return to work. The nature of your occupation plus your progress will determine this. Patients may return within several days to several weeks.

Sex If you are able to climb a flight of stairs comfortably, you can resume sexual activity.

Exercise The day after you go home, begin walking 2-3 times per day. Start out walking about the same amount you did in the hospital. Increase the distance based on tolerance. Extreme shortness of breath, dizziness, extreme fatigue, or chest discomfort are all signs that you are doing more than your heart is ready for. If these occur, stop and rest. Next time you walk, slow down and/or cut back on the distance. If these symptoms persist after resting, notify your physician.

Office Visit
Follow-up with your physician in one to two weeks after discharge from the hospital. A follow-up treadmill test will be performed to determine the success of the procedure and the current status of your physical and cardiac condition. Then you will be required to enter a Cardiac Rehab Phase II program located closest to your home as part of your recovery program.

For more information, call Cardiac Conditioning at Good Samaritan Hospital at 630-275-1591.