Audio Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine: reporting from American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Chicago, November 12-15, 2006

REFERENCE: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Chicago, November 12-15, 2006. Abstract: 2225
JOSEPH MUHLESTEIN, University of Utah , Salt Lake City
Extended follow up of 11 000 patients who received drug eluting stents outside the context of clinical trials (in the “real world”) has found an increase in deaths, especially caused by complications in “non-target lesions” – coronary vessels or segments of a vessels which were not the target of the original angioplasty. Joseph Muhlestein told the AHA meeting this seems to be a real consequence of the drug eluting stents and not just the result of selection.

REFERENCE: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Chicago, November 12-15, 2006. Abstract: 3236; 2225; 2498
SIDNEY SMITH, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Comments on the new findings about drug eluting stents were made during the AHA meeting by Sidney Smith who also gave conference delegates an update on the latest AHA thinking about stent guidelines and also latest recommendations for antiplatelet therapy following angioplasty.

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2006 November 12-15th Chicago, Illinois. Abstract: 2498
JOOST DAEMEN, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam
Do drug-eluting stents remain superior to bare metal stents after three years follow-up? No, according to Joost Daemen and his group from Rotterdam who told the AHA that both sirolimus and paclitaxel eluting stents don’t bring better long-term outcomes for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. At the AHA conference he discussed his findings with Sarah Maxwell.