Chest symptoms following coronary stenting in the first 10 weeks of recovery

Background: Most patients experience the benefits of PTCA and stent quickly, with reduction in symptoms and improvement in functional status, however many patients experience chest symptoms post-procedure.Objective: To describe the pattern and characteristics of post-stent chest symptoms in cardiac rehabilitation participants.Methods: A prospective descriptive study assessing the pattern and presence of chest symptoms in coronary artery stent recipients (N = 129) four and ten weeks post-procedure. Patients were interviewed at cardiac rehabilitation or by the phone using a specifically developed questionnaire which incorporated the McGill Pain Questionnaire.Results: Most participants were male, aged on average 60.5 years and received two stents, most often drug eluting. Post-stent chest symptoms were common, experienced by two thirds of patients (68%) at some time during the 10 weeks post-discharge. Chest symptoms were recurrent, with 33% having symptoms on both occasions and occurred more often in younger...