Stent more effective than angioplasty
Implanting a stent to keep blocked arteries open is more effective for people who have had heart attacks than simply expanding the vessels with conventional balloon angioplasty, a Dutch study shows.
People with the stents in their blood vessels have a lower incidence of subsequent heart attacks and require fewer treatments to restore blood flow to the heart, according to a study by Harry Suryapranata, MD, PhD, of the Hospital De Weezenlanden in Zwolle, The Netherlands. The study was published in the June 30 issue of the journal Circulation. Stents have been primarily used in patients with coronary heart disease who have not had heart attacks. The researchers wanted to see if stents would be useful in heart attack survivors, as well.
Of 227 heart attack patients, 112 received stents and 115 had angioplasty. One stented patient had another heart attack compared to eight angioplasty patients. Four stented patients needed subsequent treatment of their blocked arteries, compared to 19 angioplasty patients.
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