Well, as I say to my patients, putting in the heart stent is just the start of a healing journey. Your real work starts now and it needs a consistent daily effort on your part (not just the first 3 months after angioplasty and then back to the old ways!!)
Simple rules such as eating a good healthy diet, avoiding junk and comfort food, exercising regularly, maintaining an active lifestyle, sleeping well, ensuring less stress in your life (even if it means changing your job) along with regular medication and stopping smoking go a long way in keeping you away from further heart stents or procedures.
For those with diabetes it is crucial that the diabetic control is excellent and the HbA1C is kept as low as possible (diabetic folks will know what this is). You may also have to ensure that your lipid profile is kept as good as possible – ideally LDL should be below 75 and HDL above 40. If you have any other risk factors - ie blood pressure or other abnormal lipids ensure these are treated well too.
