These drug-eluting stents yield a marked reduction in early reblockage compared with bare metal stents.
However, after one year, drug-eluting stints may have a slightly higher risk of occlusion compared with bare metal stints.
Corrosion and oxidation will be cleaned, taking the sculpture back to bare metal.
BBC: Henry Moore's House of Lords artwork restoration begins
But arteries often heal around the old, bare metal stents in a process called restinosis, re-clogging them and necessitating a second procedure.
The proportion requiring a second procedure after angioplasty and bare metal stent placement is 10 to 15 percent within the first year.
Bare metal stents cut that rate at least in half, and both Cypher and Taxus lower it again to a mere 5% or so.
Unlike the other studies, the data do not come from patients who were randomized to get either bare metal stents or the newer drug-coated version.
King is recommending that a third or more of patients who get drug-coated stents might do just as well with the older, bare metal variety.
The introduction of bare metal stents (BMS) produced a significant improvement.
If the chip or scratch has already begun to rust, lightly sand the area, and apply a thin coat of primer to any bare metal before painting.
FORBES: Zen And The Art Of Keeping Your Car Looking Beautiful
The analyses presented at a European cardiology meeting last week differed on some key points, and some doctors say it is too early to decide to switch back to bare metal stents.
Many say that perhaps 10% of patients who get stents should get the bare metal kind, and that the almost instant switchover to drug-coated stents that occurred after the products were launched was an overreaction.
They may opt for a bare metal stent to prop up a second vessel, or substitute the more expensive anti-coagulants, such as Millennium Pharmaceuticals' (nasdaq: MLNM - news - people ) Integrilin, or Eli Lilly's (nyse: LLY - news - people ) ReoPro, with cheaper ones.
FORBES: Boston Scientific Close On J&J's Heels With New Stent
These devices were designed as an improvement of older bare-metal stents that have been in use for a decade.
Drug-coated stents prevent arteries from re-closing better than the traditional, bare-metal kind--and right now Boston Scientific's drug-coated Taxus stent owns 60% of the stent market.
Yes, doctors agreed, the stents prevent arteries from closing up again, as they do with older bare-metal versions, and that benefit seems to outweigh any danger.
应用推荐