Healthy lifestyle and medication
as good as stents and surgery
in preventing heart attacks
USA Today,
by
Ken Alltucker
Original Article
Posted By: M2,
11/19/2019 6:59:20 AM
Common heart procedures such as stents and bypass surgery don't prevent heart attacks or deaths more often than cholesterol-lowering drugs and lifestyle changes for millions of Americans with stable heart disease, a new federally funded study shows.
Cardiologists often use invasive measures such as inserting stents to open clogged arteries or bypass operations to reroute blood around a blocked artery. But findings from the ISCHEMIA study, unveiled Saturday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting, found these procedures do not prevent heart attacks or deaths more effectively than medication and lifestyle changes.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
bpl40 11/19/2019 8:00:42 AM (No. 239051)
I can personally testify that stents reduce, in fact eliminate, angina. But that is not a license to go back to a sedentary unhealthy life style. It is not an either or.
16 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
ussjimmycarter 11/19/2019 8:05:33 AM (No. 239052)
How about not being able to walk because the large artery supplying my left leg was blocked? Two stents later and I hopped up and walked to my car cured. And it wasn't anything hard. The blockage went away when they inflated the balloon, so they don't know what it was. No diet or drug would have cured me and I will listen to my Surgeon's advise rather than some idiot on the internet trying to make a name for himself!
23 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
fayebeck 11/19/2019 8:30:46 AM (No. 239085)
B.S. So a Vegan diet not doubt. I will take stents should the question ever arise.
3 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
jntsrgn 11/19/2019 8:56:45 AM (No. 239123)
The cholesterol lowering drugs don’t do anything either. Diet and lifestyle treats most of what ails us.
As for the snarky comments about surgeons pockets, have a congenitally bad heart valve and just die then.
6 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
StormCnter 11/19/2019 9:11:45 AM (No. 239138)
Both husband and son, neither with a history of heart problems, required stent implants last Fall. Each are doing well and we are thankful for the availability of the procedure.
15 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
smcchk 11/19/2019 9:43:24 AM (No. 239174)
It saved my husband from having pain while walking across a parking lot to feeling great. As for lifestyle, he weighs just a little more than his college weight, has normal cholesterol and blood pressure. He is a doctor and his colleagues were stunned to find that one artery was over 90% blocked. These studies worry me - are they trying to reduce the availability of these procedures? Especially under a one-payer plan?
12 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Foont 11/19/2019 9:46:51 AM (No. 239177)
Stents work. This I know. I also know that nothing we can eat, implant, bypass or exercise will prevent inevitable heart failure. Live a good, healthy life - no doubt it will help one to feel better. But don't count too much on diet or exercise to prevent heart disease (just ask Jim Fixx).
6 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
jpdkas 11/19/2019 9:56:08 AM (No. 239183)
I am with #5. I was born with genetic defect of my heart valves. Told at 22 that I would have heart surgery to replace my aortic valve in my 40's. Sure enough I had my aortic and mitral valves replaced at 46. Not being a candidate for the newer TVAR procedure for TVAR I had to have my aortic valve replaced again 16 years later due to infection by open heart surgery. My cholesterol has never been over 160 and arteries have always been clear. I have been moderately active my entire life and watched what I ate - very little fried foods, mostly baked/grilled meat, and not over weight. No amount of diet or exercise would have prevented the deterioration of my heart valves. I wish it could have! But I am blessed to still be alive and it was due to having wonderful, gifted doctors and open heart surgery available to me.
6 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
kono 11/19/2019 10:40:49 AM (No. 239237)
The aim for most people in medical treatment is to help us keep sailing along without upsetting our comfortable routines. We aren't looking for major lifestyle changes. And if we don't make them, the stent or bypass should be one of the alternative options at-hand.
2 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
DVC 11/19/2019 12:00:33 PM (No. 239307)
Looking to lower insurance costs, not extend life.
6 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
KatieJo 11/19/2019 1:12:12 PM (No. 239401)
Call me cynical, but I think that a federally funded study such as this will be used to deny stents and surgery for patients. Instead they will be told to take statins or other seriously dangerous medications since these procedures "don't prevent heart attacks". Government funded care equals denial of care for the plebes.
7 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
SRhea 11/19/2019 1:23:52 PM (No. 239417)
I took loads of high blood pressure medications for years, and I came close to a full blown heart attack. My very capable cardiologist put in two stents a year ago.
Another year of more medications, life style changes, weight loss, etc., then the chest pains began, and another stent was installed a month ago. I am doing great now. I still take BP meds, mostly caused by a kidney condition.
Don't get lulled by the medication manufacturers as a cure all. Get the stent. I stayed awake through both of my procedures. Not painful, but uncomfortable a bit. I would do a stent anyday, if II could get off the meds. I am doing great now. As number 1 states, you can't go back to a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle either.
3 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
DVC 11/19/2019 5:29:20 PM (No. 239626)
I had a very mild MI while exercising at a very high level. One stent inserted in cardiac artery, 15 years ago. No permanent heart damage. I took 4 aspirin quickly after chest pains started, docs say that helped the situation greatly, it prevents the cascading clotting from cutting off flow entirely, avoided permanent heart muscle damage.
Fifteen years later, no lifestyle restrictions, no further problems, I am still very active. With a low statin dose, lipids are in excellent shape.
Stents are good, in my experience.
3 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Catherine 11/20/2019 2:59:46 AM (No. 239910)
# 5 - I agree with you about cholesterol drugs. I've fought drs for almost two decades (and Walgreens even called me and said I needed to be on one) trying to get me to take them. I refuse. My cholesterol for the last 30 years has been 227-267. I have liver issues tho and refuse to take anything they offer. Last week, got results on blood work and they said my cholesterol was 187 and still wanted me to take a pill. I don't think that was my result but hey, I'll take it.
0 people like this.
Below, you will find ...
Most Recent Articles posted by "M2"
and
Most Active Articles (last 48 hours)
Comments:
It may not help the patients, but it sure lines the pockets of surgeons.