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After
After all tests and procedures are done, you'll return to the cardiac care unit (CCU) or a special recovery room. There, you may need to remain lying down for a few hours. Depending on what procedures you had, you will go home the same day or stay overnight. Before you leave the hospital, your doctor will discuss the test results with you.
The sheath may be left in place for few hours to prevent bleeding. Sometimes a special plug, a stitch, or a pressure device is applied to the insertion site.
A nurse will regularly check your pulse and blood pressure. He or she will also check the insertion site for bleeding. While you are in the hospital, you'll remain connected to a heart monitor. An IV line may also continue to give you fluids and medications for a few hours.
Call the nurse if:
- You feel any chest pain or feel discomfort at the insertion site
- The arm or leg closest to the insertion site becomes numb or cold
- You feel warmth or wetness around the insertion site-a sign that you may be bleeding
- You have swelling near the insertion site
Recovery at home
Your doctor will talk to you about what to expect when you go home. He or she may also schedule return visits. When you leave the hospital, let someone else drive you home.
What to Expect
You may have a lump the size of an olive under your skin at the insertion site. There may also be a bruise. These are common problems which usually disappear on their own after a few weeks. You can go back to your normal activities a day or two after getting home. You will most likely be able to return to work within two weeks. Gradually increase your level of activity, don't overdo it. Get an OK from your doctor before you start exercising or doing heavy work.
Follow-up visits
See your doctor regularly for checkups. These visits help monitor your healing. In some cases, the treated artery may close up again. If this occurs, it is most likely to happen in the first 6 months after your procedure. Your doctor may do tests during this time. These tests check to see whether your artery is still open.
Call your doctor if you have:
Pain, swelling, redness, bleeding, or drainage at the insertion site.Angina, severe pain, coldness, or a bluish color in the arm or leg into which the catheters were inserted. Blood in your urine or black or tarry stools. Any bleeding if you are taking anti-platelet medication
Cardiac rehabilitation
Your doctor may refer you to a cardiac rehabilitation (cardiac rehab) program. This program helps you make changes that can improve your heart health. These changes also reduce your risk for future heart problems.
Support for change
Cardiac rehab program may begin while you're in the hospital. During cardiac rehabilitation, an expert helps you design a program to help you recover fast and stay healthy.
- Do regular exercise to lower your blood pressure
- Quit smoking
- Control diabetes
- Lose excess weight
- Reduce stress
- Lower your cholesterol
- Learn to cope better with change
Getting exercise to help your heart
Like any muscle, your heart works better if it gets exercise. Exercise also reduces stress, lowers your cholesterol, and helps you lose excess weight. But talk with your doctor before you start exercising. He or she can make sure the activity you've chosen is right for you. In some cases, your doctor may suggest a cardiac rehab program for you instead. The tips below can help you start being active.
Tips for being active
Choose an activity that makes your lungs and heart work harder than they do when you rest. Do something you enjoy. Good choices are walking, dancing, swimming, bicycling, or aerobics.
Start slowly. Exercise 3 times a week for 5 to 10 minutes each time.When you feel comfortable, exercise a little more each week.Build up to exercising 4 or 5 times a week for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.Plan your exercises ahead of time. Write them on your calendar.If you get angina when you exercise, stop right away. Take your angina medication and call you doctor.
Eating heart healthy food
Your doctor may suggest certain changes in the way you eat. The changes that are best for you will depend on your health problems and individual needs. But most people can improve their heart health by eating less fat and less salt. Start with the tips below.
Tips for eating healthier food
- Eat fewer fatty cuts of meat.
- Have more fish and skinless white-meat like poultry.
- Use little, if any, butter, margarine, ghee, or other fats when you cook. If you do use fat, use olive or canola oil.
- Don't add salt to food when cooking.
- Keep the salt shaker off the table.Eat whole-grain or bran cereal for breakfast instead of eggs and bacon.
Breaking the smoking habit
If you smoke, quit. This is one of the best things you can do to keep CAD from getting worse. Smoking reduces oxygen flow to your heart. It speeds plaque buildup in the artery walls. Smoking also increases your risk for a heart attack. Even if you've tried to quit before, don't give up. Many smokers try quitting 4 or 5 times before they succeed. The tips below may help.
Tips for Quitting:
- Make a firm decision to quit
- Find someone to quit with you. Or join a stop-smoking support group.
- Ask your doctor about aids such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, or medications.
- Have carrot or celery sticks, gum or hard candies when you feel the urge to smoke.
- Make a list of the reasons why you're quitting. Read the list when you feel like smoking.
- Note daily routines that give you the urge to light up. Then change them if you can.
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