Inquiring about drug-coated stents. Has anyone had these or know of someone who did? - Heart Disorders Message Board

hazelnut · 03-17-2005, 04:15 PM

someone i know is having an angiogram this coming week. If the arteries are clogged, they will put drug-coated stents in. Has anyone had good outcome
w/ this?
thanks

NineLives · 03-17-2005, 06:43 PM

The drug coated stents seem to work better in that restenosis doesn't occur as often. I had an uncoated stent that failed. It might not have made a difference in my case. Stents generally do a good job and the patient doesn't have to undergo heart bypass. It leaves more options open for the patient as well.

vinny1957 · 03-18-2005, 08:46 AM

I had 3 drug-coated stents put in the LAD 9/15/04. And no problems so far, stress test was normal last month. Don't be surprized if they put your friend on a blood pressure med. (even if it's not high now, they want to keep it that way) along with Toporl (it slows the heart down so it doesn't get over worked), Plavix (it helps keep the blood from forming clots, could be from 3 mo. to ?) and finally an aspirin a day 81mg. up to 325 mg. depending. So don't let these things scare you, they are preventive measures and seems to be common practice. Hope this helps.

Vinny

Lenin · 03-18-2005, 02:23 PM

Knock on wood...medicated one put in over a year ago and AOK!

I think the Plavix is useful WITH aspirin for the first 60 days and then the Plavix confers no risk reduction over and above the aspirin alone. That's what the CURE study clearly showed. It is a God awful, dangerous drug that I was HAPPY to be rid of ASAP.
Continue the aspirin forever...my gut says that 325 mg is better than the kiddie dose...but that's only a gut feeling.

Good Luck with your test Hazel, I hope you need NOTHING!

started04 · 03-21-2005, 09:47 AM

Hazel,

Information I received prior to my procedure: With just ballon angioplasty renarrowing of the artery is between 30 to 50% within the first 6 months. Cause can be a combination of factors including vessel rcoil (spring back to abnormal size) and formatioin of tissue ingrowth in the treated area.

A stent prevents the stretched vessel from recoiling to pre-procedure size. The drug-eluting stent (bare metal coated with a drug) are designed to deliver a drug locally over a period of time to reduce tissue ingrowth. Over time tissue ingrowth may present a problem to some people, but the recoil issue is prevented.