 [ Symptoms ] how long should one continue medications after angioplasty what are the side effects of prolonged use of certain drugs  my father aged 53 yrs undergone angioplasty september last and he is still continuing some medicines daily he is currently taking glycomet gp 1 metformin hydrochloride ip 500 mg 1 tab daily on empty stomach he is a diabetic blood sugar under control telmisartan ip 20 mg 1 tab daily blood pressure under control clopidogrel tablets ip 75mg 1 tabs 2 times daily after meals atrovastatin tablets ip  20 mg 1 tabs 2 times daily after meals sorbitrate  10 mg 1 tabs 3 times daily after meals [ Disease ] the short answer is this your father should continue taking all these medications until a doctor tells him he can stop perhaps it would help to explain what some of the medications are for as you indicated the metformin is for blood sugar issues part of the reason your dad is blood sugar is controlled is because he is using this pill he should follow up regularly with a doctor regarding his diabetes and should get a hemoglobin a1c blood test every 3 months at the lab the telmisartan is indeed a blood pressure pill again the reason your dad is blood pressure is controlled is at least partly due to taking this pill it is very important he not stop or decrease his blood pressure medication after having an angioplasty clopidogrel is a blood thinning medication if your dad had stents placed in the arteries of his heart during the angioplasty the doctor may want to keep him on clopidogrel for a year or longer this medication helps prevent the blood is platelet cells from sticking to the stents and causing a blood clot atorvastatin is a medication to help keep your dad is cholesterol within normal limits excessive cholesterol in the blood can cause clogged arteries and heart problems sorbitrate treats a couple of different heart conditions including angina chest pain so as you can see your dad needs all of these medications to help manage his diabetes blood pressure and heart problems he should not stop or reduce his use of these medications if you have any questions about this please follow up with his doctor best to you both