Drug-eluting stents: Do they maximize heart attack hazard?

The most frequent form of coronary heart stent is usually regarded as safe and sound and productive when utilised with anti-clotting medication.

By Mayo Clinic Personnel

A stent is a compact mesh tube inserted into an artery to continue to keep it open. A drug-eluting stent is coated with a slow-release treatment to assist stop blood clots from forming in a stent.

Blood clotting in a stent can bring about a long run blockage (restenosis) and may possibly guide to a heart assault.

Stents with out a drug coating are referred to as bare-steel stents.

Drug-eluting stent safety

Right now, new and enhanced versions of drug-eluting stents are deemed safe and sound and powerful in most situations, when utilised with anti-clotting treatment as recommended. In general, drug-eluting stents are much less probable to cause restenosis than are bare-steel stents.

A drug-eluting stent is the most prevalent sort of stent applied to deal with a blockage of the heart arteries. Quite a few persons with heart challenges have been efficiently treated with drug-eluting stents, avoiding the want for more-invasive processes, this kind of as coronary artery bypass surgical treatment. A heart health care provider (cardiologist) areas a stent through coronary angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this treatment, a slim, adaptable tube (catheter) with a balloon on the suggestion is inserted in a blood vessel. The balloon is briefly inflated to widen the blocked artery and make improvements to blood circulation. Occasionally, a drug-coated balloon is applied.

If you have chest ache due to a blocked heart artery, a drug-eluting stent can minimize your indications and protect against the have to have for repeat angioplasty strategies.

What to take into consideration in advance of obtaining a drug-eluting stent

If you have a background of bleeding troubles, a drug-eluting stent could not be a fantastic solution for you. Right after drug-eluting stent placement, you need to have to acquire aspirin and a more robust prescription blood thinner these as clopidogrel (Plavix) to reduce blood clotting in the stent. You may perhaps have to have to acquire a daily aspirin for the relaxation of your daily life.

Your medical doctor will give you more directions on what to anticipate before and soon after drug-eluting stent placement. Some factors to contemplate are:

  • Do you will need another type of surgical procedure shortly? If you are taking into consideration surgical procedure not connected to your heart (noncardiac surgical procedures) in the 12 months just after receiving your drug-eluting stent, your physician may advise suspending it for a yr, if attainable. If you are unable to postpone it, a bare-metal stent may perhaps be a improved possibility for you. Discuss to you health practitioner about your alternatives.
  • Do your medicines will need to alter? Anti-clotting medications and aspirin can affect surgical procedures, some healthcare procedures and specific drugs. If a noncardiac operation won’t be able to be postponed, talk to your doctor about all the remedies you are taking, primarily aspirin or prescription blood thinners. Your dosages could want to be altered. It also might be attainable to halt taking anti-clotting drugs six months just after stent placement, but this must be talked over with your physician.

Soon after finding a drug-eluting stent

Following acquiring a drug-eluting stent, your doctor will prescribe medications, these as aspirin and statins, and way of living modifications to stop stent or coronary heart issues. Healthy way of living alterations contain stopping cigarette smoking, consuming a more heart-healthier diet regime and getting lots of training.

For some people, coronary bypass medical procedures may be done alternatively of stent placement. Coronary bypass operation works well, but it truly is extra invasive than utilizing stents, which indicates a extended restoration time.