Recent Advances in Stent Technology: Do They Reduce Cardiovascular Events?

Drug-eluting stents are used in nearly all cases of percutaneous coronary revascularization and have been shown to be superior to balloon angioplasty or bare metal stents. The designs of these stents are continually evolving to maximize efficacy and safety.

This review outlines the important components of a drug-eluting stent and highlights the changes in stent design that have led to the optimization of clinical outcomes. Most stents used in contemporary times are thin strut, durable polymer drug-eluting stents (DES) that elute either everolimus or zotarolimus. Newer DES designs incorporating bioresorbable polymers or ultrathin struts have shown encouraging safety and efficacy profiles. DES are essential for the management of patients with obstructive coronary artery disease and are used in most coronary interventions. Changes in stent designs over the past 30 years reflect the ongoing need to address the limitations of earlier stents aimed to improve patient outcomes.