Usually, after a coronary angioplasty, some patients experience a pain called “stretch pain” which can last for a few hours after the procedure provided everything else goes well. This gradually resolves.
In general, if the stent is placed well there should be no further pain. This however depends on a number of caveats i.e:
- There are no small vessels with blockages that are still present
- There are branches with have been partially blocked with stents etc.
The partially blocked branches may take some weeks to resolve and for the smaller branches one would continue to adhere to lifestyle changes and medication.
However in a well placed stent in a patient with no ongoing issues, who adheres well to lifestyle changes and medication there should be complete resolution of exertional pain almost immediately after the stent insertion.
