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The FDA meets with experts today to discuss if the use of drug-coated stents, metal tubes used to prop open the arteries of heart patients to improve blood flow, increases the risk of death and raises other safety concerns. Coming off the publication of two articles in major medical journals Tuesday that cite an increased risk of late complications for patients receiving the stents - along with months of intense speculation in the press - an action made by the FDA could affect how 3 million Americans with heart conditions are treated. Michael Lim, M.D., SLUCare cardiologist, can explain how these drug-coated, or drug-eluting, stents differ from normal stents and if the concern over their use is justified. He says he's received a number of phone calls from patients confused about the facts. "It's clear that there is an increased risk of having a late complication with a drug-eluting stent in some patients, but that it must be weighed against the benefits of having this type of stent placed," Lim says. "Drug-coated stents reduce the risk of coronary blockage, and thus the need to fix it again." Lim adds that medicines to prevent blood clots, like aspirin or Plavix, can also reduce the long-term risks associated with drug-coated stents. "Drug-eluting stents are not all bad," Lim says. "The rate of late complications appears to be less than 3 out of every 100 placed. If you have significant coronary blockage, you clearly may benefit from a stent. You and your physician should weigh the risks and benefits of what type may be right for you at the time, and it's important to talk to your doctor about what medications you're taking and why you're taking them. They all play a role in how successful your treatment will be."
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Saint Louis University Medical CenterSt. Louis, MO 63103United Statesmedschool.slu.edu/index.phtml
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