When is a Stent Needed? Key Signs and Medical Considerations

Author : Platinum For Heart | Published On : 06 Nov 2025

Sometimes, a feeling of chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or loss of energy may be more than stress or fatigue. To many individuals, the symptoms indicate that the heart may be having difficulties in pumping sufficient blood to the body. Implanting a stent, which is a small and lifesaving gadget that keeps arteries open, is one of the most widespread measures taken in such instances. But knowing when a stent is needed is not as simple as assuming that every chest pain requires one. That is the decision that doctors give after a thorough consideration of the symptoms, results of tests done, and the general health of the heart.

What is a Stent and How Does It Work?

A stent is a miniature tube of mesh design inserted inside a blocked artery to ensure that the flow of blood is not hampered and thus reaches the heart muscle. As long as you have seen a drinking straw with clogged up mush, you should know what the problem with blocked arteries means. A stent is a tiny scaffold that is used to keep the blood vessel open following the process of clearing the blockage of the blood vessel, known as angioplasty.

Mainly, the stent is used to cure constricted or obstructed coronary arteries because of plaque accumulation (atherosclerosis). Insertions are commonly performed in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), a less invasive treatment in which a thin tube or catheter is pushed to the blockage and a balloon expands the blockage, followed by the implementation of the stent.

Why and When Doctors Consider a Stent?

Cardiologists do not confine themselves to stenting all patients with chest pain. There are strict medical guidelines to determine when a stent is needed. A stent is typically taken into consideration where:

Problems with the blood flow to the heart, such as contraction of arteries, are also seriously limited.

• Angina (pain in the chest) or can not breathe even with medication.

• There is a continuous heart attack in which the heart muscle could be saved through time-sensitive restoration of blood flow.

• The risk is high that another cardiac event would occur based on the results of the test.

This is to help avoid further loss of the heart as well as reduce the patient's symptoms and enhance the quality of the life of patient.

Key Signs That May Indicate a Stent is Needed

The body will tend to send a warning through premature symptoms of a heart blood shortage. Although not all of these symptoms result in the stenting operation, there is a possibility that these symptoms can result in further medical examination:

• Constantly feeling pain in the chest or pressing the chest even during rest.

• The experience of shortness of breath even in the course of moderate tasks like stair climbing.

• Sudden lassitude or lightheadedness that does not have a clear explanation.

• Indications of a heart attack include profuse sweating, nausea, and pain that extends to the jaw or arm.

It is worth recalling that the timing of a stent in the heart is not only based on symptoms but also on diagnostic findings obtained through tests such as angiography.

Also Read: Life After Coronary Stent

Medical Tests Used to Decide on Stenting

Cardiologists undertake certain tests to establish the presence of blockages, and their degree, before they recommend a stent:

• Electrocardiogram ( ECG) - Senses the irregular heartbeats and patterns of damage.

• Echocardiogram- this displays heart performance and ventricles that are likely to have inadequate blood flow.

• Stress Test - Tests the functioning of the heart during physical activities.

• Coronary Angiography- The gold standard for imaging a view into treatment blockages of the arteries and implementing the treatment.

Using these tests, a stent is generally prescribed only when they demonstrate a severe blockage that affects the blood flow to the cardiac muscles.

Conditions Where a Stent Is Commonly Recommended

Certain heart diseases nearly always require the installation of a stent in case the blockages are serious:

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - A disease that is caused by the buildup of cholesterol plaque.

• Acute Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack) - To reopen the blood flow at once.

• Chronic Total Oclusions - complete occlusions, which are long-term developments.

• Restenosis - Redo narrowing of an artery after therapy.

Stenting is fairly common to treat coronary heart disease when compared to other treatment procedures, such as bypass surgery, which is usually dependent on the number of blockages, their location, and the general health of the patient to determine the type of intervention.

Types of Heart Stents

Over the years, several types of heart stents have been developed to suit different patient needs:

1. Bare-Metal Stents (BMS) The first designed, either stainless steel or cobalt-chromium, have mechanical support, but have a higher risk of re-narrowing.

2. Drug-Eluting Stents (DES) coated with a medicine/drug so that they do not form scar tissue and reduce the possibility of restenosis.

3. Bioabsorbable Stents- Composed of dissolvable materials that, over time, dissolve a permanent implant should not affect the artery.

4. PCI Metal-less Stents (Drug-Coated Balloon – DCB) – A relatively recent strategy in which no permanent stent remains behind. Instead, the artery is opened with a balloon covered in medicine that is, in turn, inflated to supply the medicine or the drug to the vessel wall.

Spotlight on PCI Metal-Less Stents: The Drug-Coated Balloon (DCB)

A Drug-Coated Balloon (DCB) stent is one of the most promising novel developments in interventional cardiology presently. In a technical sense, it is not even a stent anymore, since now no permanent implant is inside the artery.

This is how it works:

A special catheter is inserted with a special balloon on which an anti-restenosis drug is smeared and directed to the blocked area.
The balloon is inflated and thus expands the plaque and at the same time releases the drug to the walls of the arteries.
The balloon is taken out, and a foreign object is left behind.

Benefits of Drug Coated Balloon:

• Reduced risk of long-term complications like stent thrombosis.

• No need for a permanent metal scaffold, which is particularly beneficial in smaller arteries or complex cases.

• Lower likelihood of future interventions in some patients.

DCB technology is especially promising for patients at high risk of bleeding or those who cannot take long-term blood thinners. However, it’s not suitable for all cases—especially where artery recoil risk is high—so the cardiologist’s assessment remains critical.

When a Stent May Not Be the Best Option?

While stents are life-saving in many situations, there are scenarios where other treatments might be more appropriate:

• Mild artery narrowing that responds well to medication.

• Diffuse blockages are better managed with coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).

• Patients with severe bleeding disorders for whom stent placement could be risky.

• Very frail patients where the procedure’s risks outweigh its benefits.

In such cases, doctors often recommend medical management with lifestyle modifications, medications, and regular monitoring.

Recovery and Long-Term Outlook After Stenting

Recovery from a stent placement is usually quick, with most patients going home within a day or two. However, the procedure is only the beginning—long-term success depends on how well you care for your heart afterward.

Key recovery steps:

• Medication adherence – Especially antiplatelet drugs to prevent clot formation.

• Lifestyle changes – Quitting smoking, following a heart-healthy diet, and exercising regularly.

• Follow-up care – Regular check-ups and periodic stress testing to monitor heart health.

Patients who adopt these measures often enjoy a significant reduction in symptoms and a much lower risk of future heart events.