Posted by Dr Prahallad Panda on 6:41 AM
Image of Circadian Rhythm
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For people who have recently had a stent implanted in a blocked heart artery, the risk of developing a blood clot may be higher early in the morning than other times of day, researchers reported Monday.
|
Stents are tiny, scaffold-like devices implanted into narrowed heart arteries to help improve blood flow to the heart. In about 1 to 2 percent of patients, a blood clot forms around the stent, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke; the risk is greatest in the few months after the stent is implanted. |
The study adds to evidence that the risk of heart problems varies according to the body's circadian rhythms -- the 24-hour cycles that influence sleep, hormone production, body temperature and other essential functions. |
It's known that blood pressure, heart rate and the blood cells' "stickiness" tend to increase in the morning -- all of which might contribute to the higher risk of stent blood clots, according to Holmes's team. |
But what can patients with newly implanted stents do for now? |
Holmes said they can be particularly attuned to potential symptoms of a blood clot early in the morning. Those include chest pain or discomfort and shortness of breath. There are also "atypical" symptoms, like nausea, Holmes noted, and elderly patients are more likely to have those compared with younger people. |
"If you wake up feeling 'strange,'" Holmes said, "maybe you're not just feeling strange, and it's something that needs medical attention." |
Still, since stent blood clots arise in about 1 to 2 percent of patients, the absolute risk to any one person would be low. And Holmes stressed that, in general, "stents are safe and effective, and very good at preventing symptoms." |
Click here to
Subscribe news feed from
"Clinispot; so that you do not miss out anything that can be valuable to you !!
Image of Circadian Rhythm 
