6.627 – Drug-Eluting Stents

Coronary stents have revolutionized the management of patients with obstructive coronary artery disease. This chapter will review the problems associated with percutaneous coronary intervention when performed using balloon angioplasty and bare-metal stents, before discussing the first and second generation drug-eluting stents (DESs). Finally, the new generation of DESs, which are currently undergoing evaluation in clinical trials, will be reviewed.