Heart Groups Issue Advisories for Reducing Drug-Eluting Stent Risks
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
New guidance on the use of drug-eluting stents for treating coronary vessel stenosis is intended to minimize a small but significant increased risk of stent thrombosis and death. Still, some experts voice concerns about the long-term safety of these devices.
The new advice for preventing thrombosis extends the recommendation for dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus a thienopyridine such as clopidogrel) from the current 3 or 6 months (based on stent type) to 12 months. The guidance comes from three bodies, each with a slightly different perspective on the drug-eluting stent controversy.
Treating coronary vessel blockage (left) with a drug-eluting stent improves blood flow (right), but experts caution that prolonged therapy with antiplatelet agents is advised to prevent thrombosis. (Photo credit: Cordis Corporation)
The most recent guidance is a joint advisory on the dangers of discontinuing dual antiplatelet therapy during the recommended 12 months following device implantation. The advisory was issued …
