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My Husband Who Is A 46 Year Old, Had An
Question: My husband who is a 46 year old, had an abnormal EKG in January and was admitted to hospital and they did an angiogram and found a large blockage in LAD that ranged from 60% to 99% where they placed a stent....He has 2 other blockages one in RCA at 50-60% and another one in LAD at 30-40% that were not bad enough to stent....He has gone to a Mitterrand diet, goes to cardiac rehab and is exercising and losing weight.....He does not nor has he ever smoke or drank...There is a family history of heart disease. His high cholesterol is controlled by Repatha and he is on several high blood pressure meds, but his drs are still trying to control that well. His last EKG this month was back to normal. He has had high blood pressure and high cholesterol for 15 plus years not always controlled well, but we just found the CAD in January.He has had high blood pressure and high cholesterol for 15 plus years not always controlled well, but we just found the CAD in January. My question is and I do not want to ask his dr as I don't want him to stress out and worry, but I really need to know his prognosis....His cardiologist said that CAD is a progressive disease, how fast does it usually progress? What are his chances of slowing progression or reversing it? Is it fatal? What are his chances of dying from this in the next year, or 5 years? Can he have a normal life expectancy with this? Does he have increased risk of sudden heart failure because of this? Any stats are great. Thank you! Current medications:
2 blood pressure meds, repatha, asprin and blood thinner
2 blood pressure meds, repatha, asprin and blood thinner
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome to Ask a Doctor service!
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your husband can still have a normal life expectancy after this issue, but he needs a close follow up by his doctor and a healthy lifestyle (regular physical activity, Mediterranean diet, no smoking, no alcohol).
I agree with his doctor that atherosclerosis is a progressive disorder, but we can not really make predictions on how fast it will progress, as it depends on genetic factors and also his risk factors (lifestyle, the control of arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, etc.).
You should know that it is necessary continue taking regularly for the first year double anti-platelet agents and statins for dyslipidemia ( his current therapy), in order to help prevent the stent from blockage.
In every patients who undergoes coronary stenting, there are 30-35% chances of possible complications like acute coronary events and stroke within the first year.
That is why it is really necessary to follow the cardiac rehab program and a healthy diet.
There is no reason to panic about heart failure as long as he has a normal heart function and he doesn't have any future coronary events.
I would recommend follow up with cardiac stress echo or stress-MRI after a year, in order to examine the stent patency and exclude cardiac ischemia.
Hope you will find this information helpful!
I remain at your disposal for any further questions whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome to Ask a Doctor service!
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your husband can still have a normal life expectancy after this issue, but he needs a close follow up by his doctor and a healthy lifestyle (regular physical activity, Mediterranean diet, no smoking, no alcohol).
I agree with his doctor that atherosclerosis is a progressive disorder, but we can not really make predictions on how fast it will progress, as it depends on genetic factors and also his risk factors (lifestyle, the control of arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, etc.).
You should know that it is necessary continue taking regularly for the first year double anti-platelet agents and statins for dyslipidemia ( his current therapy), in order to help prevent the stent from blockage.
In every patients who undergoes coronary stenting, there are 30-35% chances of possible complications like acute coronary events and stroke within the first year.
That is why it is really necessary to follow the cardiac rehab program and a healthy diet.
There is no reason to panic about heart failure as long as he has a normal heart function and he doesn't have any future coronary events.
I would recommend follow up with cardiac stress echo or stress-MRI after a year, in order to examine the stent patency and exclude cardiac ischemia.
Hope you will find this information helpful!
I remain at your disposal for any further questions whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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