Drug-Releasting Stent Better Than Uncoated Stent for Angioplasty

A study of 745 patients from Italy, Spain and Argentina who underwent angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention shows that stents releasing the drug sirolimus or tirofiban have a better effect of preventing major adverse cardiac event than uncoated stents.

Oftentimes, doctors will implant an uncoated stent and infuse with anticoagulants such as abciximab. There are certain concerns and questions about implanting a drug releasing stent, making it very uncommon.

The three year study, ending in April 2007, showed many positive effects of using high doses of tirofiban and sirolimus releasing stents when compared to uncoated stents and the use of abciximab infusion. 97% of the patients appeared to have interpretable ECGs. Also, there was a 5.4% difference in the rate of major adverse cardiac events between patients who received tirofiban and those who received uncoated stents. There was a 7% difference in the number of patients requiring revascularization between patients with the uncoated stent and patients with the sirolimus-releasing stent.

As you can see, the drug releasing stents appear to much more successful in the long run. With more research and testing hopefully uncoated stents will be replaced.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/102103.php