ABSTRACT
Introduction Drug-eluting stents (DES) represented a therapeutic milestone in the field of interventional cardiology. Clinical trials comparing DES with bare metal stents (BMS) have unequivocally demonstrated greater efficacy of these novel antiproliferative devices to reduce restenosis and the need for repeat revascularization procedures. 1-10 However, the safety of DES has recently been questioned. In particular, DES have been associated with an enhanced risk of thrombotic events very late after treatment. 11 In this chapter, we will review the current understanding on pathophysiology and clinical aspects of stent thrombosis in the DES era.
