6 BENEFICIAL HABITS YOU MUST ADOPT AFTER
ANGIOPLASTY
ANGIOPLASTY
Why is angioplasty indicated?
The built up
of cholesterol infused plaque in coronary arteries, causes a condition known as
"atherosclerosis." This
plaque occupies a substantial space in the vessel and reduces the overall
diameter, through which blood passes. An occluded artery poses a threat of
cardiac arrest due to inadequate blood supply to the heart.
Angioplasty or "Percutaneous
Coronary Intervention" is performed with the aim of increasing the diameter of the vessel and
allow enough blood to pass through. The physician installs a balloon in the
occluded artery. Upon inflation of the balloon, the cholesterol plaque is pushed
against the wall of the vessel. This leads to a wider diameter of the artery and adequate
blood flow to the heart.
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A set of
recommendations is advised to the patient, after the surgery. It is important
for the individual to follow these instructions and incorporate them as habits
in his life.
Here, we
assembled 6 beneficial habits you must adopt after angioplasty.
1. Balance rest and physical activity
Your doctor
might refer you to a Cardiac Rehabilitation team after performing angioplasty.
It is essential to adjust the activities taught by the rehabilitation
team, into your daily lives.
Cardiac
physical therapy
can help you in avoiding the next admission in the hospital due to a heart
problem.
Along with
practicing the activities instructed by physical care therapists, make sure to
take rest when needed.
2. Plan your diet
Surgeries
often cause significant weakness in the body. Nutritionists have set some guidelines
that must be followed after angioplasty.
These guidelines
are as mentioned below:
Ø The nutritionist might suggest taking
clear fluids,
while your body is in the recovery phase. These do not cause stomach
discomfort, nausea and vomiting, which are usually experienced after
a surgery.
Ø Amount of sodium must be reduced to
only 1500-2300 mg daily. This is indicated because sodium can cause retention of
fluid.
Ø A low fat diet must be adopted to cut
down the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.
3. Reduce risk factors that lead to further heart problems
There are a
number of risk factors that contribute to the development of cardiac episode.
Hence, it is highly stressed upon to be careful and avoid the leading causes
of heart cardiac arrest.
Some of these
risk factors are as follows:
Ø Smoking: The tobacco
in cigarettes participates in the formation of fatty
plaques called "atheroma", in the arteries. This plaque plays
as a direct etiological factor in causing cardiac attack, due to diminished
blood supply to the heart.
Ø High blood pressure: Excessive blood pressure reduces the elasticity of blood vessels and
can rupture them with its massive force.
Ø Obesity: People
who are overweight experience various symptoms of decreased cardiac activity,
as the heart has to pump blood to the extra bulk of tissues.
Ø Sedentary lifestyle: This habit is extremely discouraged as the human organs can lose
function if not used for their purpose.
4. Be vigilant in recognizing abnormal
symptoms
Patients who
have undergone a heart surgery are trained in checking their heart rate and
pulse independently. This lesson must be remembered at all time, so that any
abnormality in symptoms is correctly judged by you.
Although it
is great to know about symptoms, it is highly dangerous to self treat yourself.
On experiencing unusual symptoms, you must consult the doctor without further
ado.
5. Try cutting down stress from your
life
Stress is classified
into two types: Mental and physical
Mental
stress, such as depression is a serious illness and can affect a patient who
has undergone a major surgery. Sessions with a psychiatrist are seldom
attended. The Cardiac Rehabilitation is a program that helps in the improvement
of mental health of the patient. All patients must be encouraged to not ignore
their mental therapy sessions.
Physical
stress: Overexertion falls under the category
of physical stress. Daily activities, such as climbing
up the stairs is discouraged for cardiac surgery patients.
They are
advised to be patient when carrying out these daily activities and not exhaust
themselves in doing those.
6. Abstain from consuming high sugar
or high cholesterol diets
Why stop excess sugar
intake?
High sugar
drinks such as soda are the direct causes of obesity. A research was conducted
to know about the harms of soda consumption. It was found that people who consumed
soda on a daily basis, were more likely to have type 2 diabetes. Being overweight
and diabetic can effectively reduce the heart's function and lead to
cardiovascular diseases.
Why stop high
cholesterol diet?
Fast food is
rich in low density lipids (LDLs), which are commonly known as bad cholesterol.
This bad cholesterol has the tendency to get deposited in the arteries and
cause problems such as: hypertension and stroke. Hypertension will eventually
lead to a heart problem.