[Restenosis after percutaneous coronary angioplasty--cause, prevention strategies]

PTCA is a new method of invasive cardiology. Restenosis is an important limitation of efficacy of this method. It occurs in 20-45% of patients. Pathomechanism of the restenosis is not clear. It is assumed, that restenosis is an answer of the endothelium to the procedure. This response consists of the inflammation, platelet primary adhesion and aggregation, proliferation of smooth muscle cells and intercellular matrix production. These changes together with old atheroma and thrombus create a new stenosis. There were many attempts to prevent restenosis based on the pathophysiology, but so far no successful method has been found.