Drug-eluting stent safety

Today, new and improved versions of drug-eluting stents are considered safe and effective in most instances, when used with anti-clotting medication as prescribed. In general, drug-eluting stents are less likely to cause restenosis than are bare-metal stents.

A drug-eluting stent is the most common type of stent used to treat a blockage of the heart arteries. Many people with heart problems have been successfully treated with drug-eluting stents, preventing the need for more-invasive procedures, such as coronary artery bypass surgery. A heart doctor (cardiologist) places a stent during coronary angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this procedure, a thin, flexible tube (catheter) with a balloon on the tip is inserted in a blood vessel. The balloon is temporarily inflated to widen the blocked artery and improve blood flow. Sometimes, a drug-coated balloon is used.

If you have chest pain due to a blocked heart artery, a drug-eluting stent can reduce your symptoms and prevent the need for repeat angioplasty procedures.