[Paclitaxel-eluting stents in treatment of stenoses and chronic occlusions of coronary arteries]

Abstract

The present review summarises the data obtained by analysing the publications dedicated to using paclitaxel-eluting stents in management of coronary heart disease. The stents containing paclitaxel (taxol) proved to have high clinical efficacy in both single and multiple stenoses of the coronary arteries. The feasibility of using taxol-eluting stents in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and in patients diagnosed with chronic coronary occlusion does not admit of any doubt. However, the rate of restenoses development following implantation of the paclitaxel-eluting stents is higher than that after using the syrolimus-releasing stents. Unsolved as yet remains the issue concerning the efficacy of the paclitaxel-eluting stents intended for treatment of restenoses inside the stent, as well as concerning the feasibility of using these stents for stenting the main trunk of the left coronary artery.