Everolimus-eluting stent platforms in percutaneous coronary intervention: comparative effectiveness and outcomes

Despite the remarkable benefits obtained following the introduction of the first-generation drug-eluting stent (DES), concerns were raised over its long-term safety, particularly with regard to very late (beyond 1 year) stent thrombosis. Newer-generation DESs have been developed to overcome this limitation using novel stent platforms, new drugs, more biocompatible durable polymers, and bioabsorbable polymers or backbones. To date, new-generation DESs have virtually replaced the use of first-generation DESs worldwide. In this review article, we discuss in detail the design, pharmacology, and mechanism of action of the newer-generation permanent and bioresorbable everolimus-eluting platforms. Furthermore, we present and evaluate the current evidence on the performance and safety of these devices compared to those of other available stent platforms.