Drug-eluting stents reduce repeat treatment in peripheral arterial disease

March 31, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. Drug-eluting stents reduce repeat treatment in peripheral arterial disease By H.A. Abella Drug-eluting stents provide a significantly higher patency rate after three years in patients with critical limb ischemia compared with bare metal stents. Findings of a recent study suggest that drug-eluting stents can reduce also postintervention treatment rates. Critical limb ischemia has reached epidemic proportions, leading to nearly a quarter million amputations and about $20 billion in associated management costs each year in the U.S. and Europe, according to the clinical literature. Stenting of the infrapopliteal arteries has been shown to improve the lives of many patients, but it remains hindered by high restenosis rates and, thus, need for repeat treatment.

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