Is angina a possibility?

[Pcicad]

Had NSTEMI and three stents 22 months ago. Lost 25kg in weight since then. Blood pressure optimal. 3km daily brisk walks. Following a largely heart healthy diet and still taking the following daily meds: aspirin, atorvastatin, Ramipril & Bisoprolol. All going well. However, suffered double bereavement in last three months and in this time also noticing pressure in chest when walking up a slope or hill on my daily walks. Once the ground evens out it subsides. Is this to be expected with Ischemic heart disease? Will discuss with GP soon but just wondering if this is just something I will have to live with.

[Happyrosie]

yes this might or might not happen and yes you must discuss with a health professional.

[Pcicad in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you

I have an appointment booked with my GP for next week.

[stevetheadi]

I had exactly the same symptoms about a year ago and put it down to old age but it wasn't. I needed a CABG.

It could be that your stents are getting 'furred up' and you need a change in your medication or even new stents.

[Pcicad in reply to stevetheadi]

Thanks for the reply.

I was thinking the same.

My angiogram report when I had my HA indicated mild to moderate diffuse disease in LAD and mild diffuse in RCA apart from the three vessels which needed stenting. I was hoping that diet, exercise and medications would stop the progression. Hopefully it will just need a medication tweaking.

[stevetheadi in reply to Pcicad]

A little tweaking of your meds may well be all that is required. The important thing is to find out what is required as soon as you can.

I put it off and the delay probably contributed to the eventual outcome - a CABG - rather than stents.

[Vegart]

Hello, Pcicad. It would be best to get an urgent appointment with a GP, or even better, phone 111. Myself, I had never had any proper angina chest pains, till when I was walking up a steep hill, in February, 2023, and had to stop periodically to catch my breath. The other symptoms were indigestion and massive burping. After a week or so, those symptoms progressed to occurring on a milder slope. Three weeks after the start, I was walking on the flat when those symptoms occurred, accompanied by pressure on my chest, lasting an hour to 1 1/hours at a time. Therefore, I took myself to A&E, and I was admitted to the Cardiac Ward, and ended up having a Triple Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Op. Stents were not inserted because it would have needed too many of them, and in one part there was a long length of blockage. It might be worth carrying on you a 300mg Aspirin Tablet (check with a pharmacist to check OK) to chew if you get chest pains, and water to wash it down.

[Pcicad in reply to Vegart]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, since my HA I always carry emergency aspirin with me in anticipation of the next one!

I’m hoping a change in strength of my medications might help (currently on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol)

But I suspect it might require further investigation. Dreading even the thought it could require a bypass. When I had HA I was hoping medication would be only required, then was quite shocked with three stents needed.

[lizzieloo2]

My husband had a stent fitted in May 2022 and was put on all sorts of meds. A couple of months later, he kept getting chest discomfort and going to A&E. After a couple of visits where they assured him he wasn't having another heart attack, they put him on Amlodipine because they said he now had angina. Apparently, about 14% of people develop angina following stents but no-one thinks to let patients know it's a possibility!

[Pcicad in reply to lizzieloo2]

Thanks lizzieloo2

I will certainly bear this in mind when I meet with my GP next week.

Ideally I would love it if they merely tweaked my medications but if I have to have an additional one then so be it if it helps.

[Jedi14]

Your story sounds familiar to mine. After my stents everything seemed well enough. Cardiac rehab and phased back to work and then a holiday abroad. After returning back to routines I crashed, around November time. Ended up taking the GTN spray daily for several days before I could see the GP. Back in hospital for short stay and released with Bisoprolol 1.25 mg.

Have been pretty settled since, with minor tweaks to meds. So the lesson here is that we suffer some level of damage and that's how we are here now. Thanks to meds were are in a state of repair and healing, we may not be able to get 100% recovery due to damage sustained, but we will most certainly give it our best shot!

[Pcicad]

update:

Have seen GP who consulted with Cardiology.

Started on new medication today (Isosorbide Mononitrate modified release 60mg)

No apparent side effects so far but blood pressure has gone low (87/54 initial home reading).

Hope it has desired effect on chest discomfort when exercising.

GP has advised against travel until issue is resolved.

Now on Cardiology waiting list in Cardiff where average waiting time is 26 weeks according to website.

Further update: was informed this afternoon that my waiting list has a wait of 56 weeks!