ABSTRACT
There is no question that the superior efficacy and excellent safety data of drug-eluting stents (DES) compared to bare metal stents (BMS) offer a major advance in percutaneous revascularization therapy in selected patients. Single digit restenosis rates argue for a broad implementation of this technology, which is currently outside the scope of the pivotal trials and FDA approval of these devices. Why shouldn’t everyone who needs a stent have DES implanted? The major limiting factor is cost. Assessing the relative costbenefit for each patient will be a major task facing interventional cardiologists. As newer stents appear, perhaps the unit price will fall, allowing a broader application of this technology.
