“Can angioplasty cause breathlessness?”
My husband recently underwent an angioplasty procedure. He is however feeling breathless very often ever since the surgery. What could be the reason? Are the two directly connected?
8 Answers
The most common cause of breathlessness after an angioplasty is the medications that are given to keep a clot from forming inside the recently deployed stent. A successful angioplasty usually does not cause breathlessness.
If he is breathless just on exertion it may be that there's a bit more "plumbing work" to be done – he should have an exercise ECG test (or stress-echo test). If the test is negative (good) the problem could be medication, especially a beta-blocker (any drug with a name ending with -olol) or it could be just a reflex triggered by anxiety about his heart.
If the breathlessness comes on at random times it could be a heart arrhythmia but more likely not related to his heart.
If the breathlessness comes on at random times it could be a heart arrhythmia but more likely not related to his heart.
Julia G. Ansari
Cardiologist
He could either have an allergy to the contrast or, if they put in a stent and there is a dissection, that could be the cause, or it can be something completely unrelated.
Under certain circumstances, the two can be related. Have him see his interventionist.
Yes, could be. Medication he is on or congestive heart failure follow-up with cardiology.
Angioplasty usually does not cause breathlessness. One of the medications we use after placing a stent has been associated with episodes of brief shortness of breath lasting a few breaths. I would recommend following up with your cardiologist to review medications, and make sure his kidney function is stable after the procedure.
Taking Brilinta as anti-platelet, volume overload, occult dissection, especially in diabetics, uncontrolled hypertension, diastolic dysfunction would be at the top of my list.
You need to see your doctor to rule out stenosis at the angioplasty.
