These drug-eluting stents yield a marked reduction in early reblockage compared with bare metal stents.

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However, after one year, drug-eluting stints may have a slightly higher risk of occlusion compared with bare metal stints.

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Today, a stent is left behind in perhaps 75 percent of all angioplasties done in the U.S. Most are drug-eluting stents.

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That was certainly the case when drug-eluting stents were first introduced.

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Also late yesterday, Boston Scientific (BSX) said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its latest drug-eluting stent, the Promus Element Plus Everolimus-Eluting Platinum Chromium Coronary Stent System.

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The latest iterations, "drug-eluting" stents, release a chemotherapy-type drug.

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The new Abbott also sells medical devices such as artery-clearing drug-eluting Xience stent or its absorbable stent known as Absorb and diagnostic tests used in laboratories and hospitals such as its Architect platform.

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In the vascular business, the company is developing a next-generation Drug Eluting Stent, XIENCE Xpedition, which is expected to launch in Europe this year and in the U.S. in 2013.

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Moderate growth is expected from vascular and diagnostics division (excluding to certain royalty and supply arrangement revenues and currency impact), after the company launched various products including its next-generation Drug Eluting Stent XIENCE Xpedition and XIENCE PRIME in different parts of the world.

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