Stents are small plastic or metal tubes that can be inserted into an artery or blood vessel. This permanent procedure is usually done when the artery has constricted due to plaque build-up along the artery walls (atherosclerosis). They are also utilized after some procedures like angioplasties to stop the re-closing of blocked arteries after surgery.
A “drug-coated stent” is a newer form of stent that slowly releases drugs to prevent the arteries’ scarring. They started entering the market for public use in 2003 and 2004. They are also called drug-eluting or drug-emitting stents.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved using many brands of drug-coating stents. After their approval, the FDA continued to monitor drug-coated stents in patients and has reported several hazards and side effects.
Drug-Eluting Stent Safety
Today, new and improved versions of drug-eluting stents are deemed safe and effective when used with anti-clotting medicine as prescribed. In general, drug-eluting stents are less likely to cause restenosis than bare-metal stents.
A drug-eluting stent is the most common stent used to treat a blockage of the heart arteries. Many individuals with heart issues have been successfully treated with drug-eluting stents, preventing the necessity 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). A slim, flexible tube (catheter) with a balloon on the tip is inserted into a blood vessel. The balloon is temporarily inflated to dilate the blocked artery and enhance 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 relieve your symptoms and avert the need for repeat angioplasty procedures.
What to Consider Before Getting a Drug-Coated Stent?
If you have a record of bleeding problems, a drug-eluting stent may not be a suitable option for you. After drug-eluting stent placement, you need to take aspirin and a more potent prescription blood thinner such as clopidogrel (Plavix) to control blood clotting in the stent. You may need to take daily aspirin for the rest of your life.
Your physician will give you further instructions on what to anticipate before and after drug-eluting stent placement. Some things to consider are:
- Do you need another type of surgery soon? Suppose you’re considering surgery unrelated to your heart (noncardiac surgery) in the year after receiving your drug-eluting stent. In that case, your doctor may recommend postponing it for a year, if possible. If you can’t postpone it, a bare-metal stent may be a better option for you. Talk to your physician about your options.
- Do your medications need to change? Anti-clotting drugs and aspirin can affect surgeries, medical procedures, and medications. If a noncardiac surgery can’t be delayed, talk to your physician about your medicines, especially aspirin or prescription blood thinners. Your dosages might need to be modified. It also might be possible to stop taking anti-clotting drugs six months after stent placement, but this must be discussed with your physician.
After Getting a Drug-Eluting Stent
After receiving a drug-eluting stent, your physician will prescribe drugs like aspirin and statins and lifestyle changes to avert stent or heart problems. Healthy lifestyle changes include quitting smoking, eating a more heart-healthy diet, and getting plenty of exercise.
Coronary bypass surgery may be done instead of stent placement for some individuals. Coronary bypass surgery works sufficiently but is more intrusive than stents, which means a more prolonged recovery.
What Is the Difference Between Drug-Eluting Stents and Bare Metal Stents?
There are two primary types of coronary artery stents: bare-metal stents and drug-eluting stents. As the name implies, bare-metal stents are bare metal mesh coils positioned to reopen your artery. Where drug-eluting stents are coated with medicine, bare-metal stents are not.
Bare metal stents were developed in the 1990s and enhanced coronary artery disease treatment. In the 2000s, coated drug-eluting stents were designed to overcome some issues with bare-metal stents.
Once you have a bare-metal stent, your body produces tissue around the metal. The stent can be totally covered within 3 to 12 months. The tissue regrowth can lead to scarring and close your arteries again, called restenosis.
Drug-eluting stents have largely superseded bare-metal stents, but bare-metal stents are not outdated. There might be times when a bare-metal stent is more useful.
What Is the Procedure for Stent Placement?
Drug-eluting stent placement occurs during a procedure called angioplasty. Your physician makes a small cut in your groin or arm and inserts a thin tube called a catheter with a balloon on the end into your blood vessel.
They guide the catheter toward your coronary artery using special dyes and X-ray scans. There, they inflate the balloon and push the plaque against the sides of the artery to spread it. Once the artery is open, your physician will place the drug-eluting stent against your artery walls. It will assist in holding it open and slowly releasing medication directly into your artery. After your surgery, you will need to take blood thinners long-term.
How Long Do Drug-Eluting Stents Last?
A stent is enduring. Once placed, you’ll have it for life, which your body can safely tolerate. If your arteries narrow again, you’ll need to have the procedure again to fix it. If this transpires, it’s usually within the first six months.
What Types of Hazards Are Associated with Drug-Coated Stents?
Newer studies show a small yet noteworthy risk of blood clotting (thrombosis) within some types of drug-coated stents. While the FDA has noted that drug-coated stents are safe when used properly, these new analyses have raised apprehensions regarding the long-term safety of drug-coated stent implants.
Some other risks and side effects associated with drug-coated stents can include:
- Allergic reaction to the drugs being released by the stent
- Allergic reaction to the materials that the stents are made of
- Blood clot
- Illness
- Rupture of the blood vessel upon insertion of the stent
- Unwanted stent movement/travel (“stent migration”)
- Bleeding
- Clogging on the inside of the stent (“in-stent restenosis”)
Some occasional complications have also been connected to stents and drug-coated stents, like tearing blood vessels, heart attack, and chest pain.
What If I Have Been Injured Due to Drug-Coated Stents? Should I Hire a Lawyer?
If you have been injured on account of drug-coated stents, it may be possible to recover your losses in a court of law. You may be able to get reimbursement for losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Such injuries can usually be remedied through negligence or medical malpractice claim. These would prove that a health care professional or provider breached their duty of care to you, which caused the injuries or economic losses.
Or, you might be able to file a lawsuit for defective products if it is found that the drug-coated stents were somehow defective. It may be necessary to contact a legal professional if you need further advice on proceeding with your legal claim.
Since they are relatively new to the market, the long-term effects and risks associated with drug-coated stents are not well-known.
While generally safe overall, several complications can arise in patients with drug-coated stent implants. Legal questions and inquiries can be directed to an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area. Contact an attorney who can inform you of your rights and options for legal remedies.
