What is a Drug-Coated Stent?.
When the FDA approved drug-eluting stents, their use was intended primarily for simple blockages involving just one artery, where the patient has no significant damage to their heart. The devices were not approved for patients with a history of complex multiple blockages or severe heart attacks, although many doctors – an estimated 60% – still use them in such patients. Some experts feel that this type of “off-label” use may further increase the adverse risks to stent patients. In these more complicated cases, there is uncertainty that the benefits of the devices outweigh the hazards. As the medical community explores alternatives to drug-eluting stents, the question remains: What is to become of the millions of patients who already have a DES implanted? The devices are neither safe nor easy to remove. To help minimize the risk of dangerous clotting, some patients are being advised to remain on their blood-clotting medication indefinitely. However, these drugs, including Plavix, carry
