January 19, 2011 – The patient support group Mended Hearts, in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company, this week launched the Stent Hub – an online patient and caregiver resource for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
"I find that many ACS patients who receive a stent have the impression their heart is 'fixed,' and much more attention is paid to patients who undergo bypass surgery after a heart attack, " said JoAnne Foody, M.D., medical director, Cardiovascular Wellness Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "But it is vitally important to recognize that having a stent requires education and follow up too. Adherence to oral antiplatelet therapy and other medications, as well as a healthy lifestyle, are important to help prevent future heart events and maintain the stent benefits."
While there are many online resources for general heart disease, the Stent Hub is one of the first dedicated to providing educational information and support specifically for ACS-PCI patients and their caregivers. ACS is a condition that includes heart attack and unstable angina (heart-related chest pain at rest) and affects more than 1 million Americans annually.
"Our organization sees many stent patients who are eager to learn about their condition and how to take a proactive role in the future of their heart health," said Tim Elsner, executive director, Mended Hearts. "The Stent Hub will address this unmet need, and is a welcome addition to the Hearts in Harmony program and website."
The Stent Hub takes a holistic approach to recovery after the placement of a heart stent, providing guidance and educational and motivational information that address the physical and emotional obstacles a patient and their caregiver may encounter after a heart stent procedure.
"As a clinical psychologist, I see firsthand how heart events can affect the emotional well-being of my patients, as well as those who care for them," said Robert Allan, M.D., clinical assistant professor of psychology in medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, and professional associate, New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "It's important to care for the mind just as much as the body when recovering from a stent placement procedure."
The Stent Hub is an extension of a public education campaign launched in 2009 called Hearts in Harmony, also sponsored by Mended Hearts, Daiichi Sankyo Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company, which provides heart event survivors with information about the physical and emotional aspects of recovering from a heart event. The Stent Hub goes a step further to tailor information and tips to ACS-PCI patients and their caregivers specifically. Patients should speak with their doctors before making any lifestyle changes or adopting alternative therapies.
For more information: www.HealthyHeartsInHarmony.com/stenthub
December 20, 2023 
