This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Topic Collections  • Cardiovascular Disease/ Myocardial Infarction  • Drug Therapy, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic

Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2007;297:797-798.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

New guidance on the use of drug-eluting stents for treating coronary vessel stenosis is intended to minimize a small but significant increased risk of stent thrombosis and death. Still, some experts voice concerns about the long-term safety of these devices.

The new advice for preventing thrombosis extends the recommendation for dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus a thienopyridine such as clopidogrel) from the current 3 or 6 months (based on stent type) to 12 months. The guidance comes from three bodies, each with a slightly different perspective on the drug-eluting stent controversy.

Treating coronary vessel blockage (left) with a drug-eluting stent improves blood flow (right), but experts caution that prolonged therapy with antiplatelet agents is advised to prevent thrombosis. (Photo credit: Cordis Corporation)

The most recent guidance is a joint advisory on the dangers of discontinuing dual antiplatelet therapy during the recommended 12 months following device implantation. The advisory . . . [Full Text of this Article]

LONG-TERM DANGER?