What’s a stent and what is it used for?

A stent is a hollow metal tube that is used to open narrowing in arteries. Stents are used in the heart to treat heart attacks and also for blockages that cause chest pain. A stent is placed during a catheterization which is a procedure where X-ray images of the heart arteries are taken.

When a stent is placed in the artery it will require the person to take a combination of medications which reduce the risk of a blood clot forming within the device. Stents are also used in different parts of the body, but for other reasons depending on where they are placed.

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