Clinical experience with drug-eluting stents

Abstract

Despite dramatic improvements in catheter and stent technology, in-stent restenosis continues to hamper initial procedural success in 10% to 50% of patients undergoing coronary intervention. Recent breakthroughs in polymer science and local drug delivery have shown tremendous promise in the long-sought-after goal of delivering antirestenotic therapy directly from a stent. Clinical trials examining several novel antirestenotic agents, particularly sirolimus and paclitaxel, have shown astonishing reduction in restenosis following stenting. Through examination of the clinical experience to date, we may gain insight into the current and future utility of drug-eluting stents in our clinical practice.