New Data on Benefits and Risks of Drug-Eluting Stents

Long-term risk for death and MI probably is not greater with drug-eluting stents than with bare-metal stents.

Compared with bare-metal stents, drug-eluting stents lower rates of target-lesion revascularization. However, about 2 years ago, reports indicated that rates of stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and mortality are higher after several years with drug-eluting stents than with bare-metal stents (JW Gen Med Mar 1 2007).

Investigators from Sweden, who published the first report on excess mortality rates associated with drug-eluting stents, have now evaluated a much larger cohort (nearly 29,000 patients) that has been followed for a longer time in a prospective observational study. All patients had received single drug-eluting or single bare-metal stents from 2003 through 2006. The team found no difference between groups in the combined end…

Reviewing Author

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardSerImmune Inc.; DxTerity

Grant / Research SupportNIH (1U54NS105542-01)

Editorial BoardsHarvard Health Letter; UpToDate

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardSerImmune Inc.; DxTerity

Grant / Research SupportNIH (1U54NS105542-01)

Editorial BoardsHarvard Health Letter; UpToDate