How long after having a heart stent does it take for the pain to stop?

There have been many improvements in stent technology but one of the noteworthy changes have been the ability to image better inside the arteries. This is a technique called OCT or Optical Coherence tomography which helps us to visualize upto 20 microns ie almost see the vessel live. This makes it easier to see the fat accumulation inside the blood vessel and the likelihood of the plaque rupturing and if stenting is necessary. It also helps to ensure that stent placement is optimal.

A heart stent should and will last for life. A stent after all, is a wire-mesh scaffold and functions as such. Once a stent has been placed the inner vessel wall (called endothelium) slowly grows over it until it “heals”. Drug-coated stents ensure that this healing is not too excessive as in the days gone past, this excessive healing would lead to re-narrowing. This healing takes between 3 to 6 months and that is why you need blood thinning agents to keep your blood thin as the stent heals. If not, the stent being a foreign body the blood going past it will clot instantaneously.