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Times Union

01/24/2008 - People who have multiple heart blockages and a drug-eluted stent in their heart die at a higher rate than those who undergo heart bypass surgery, according to a University of Albany researcher.

Drug-eluting stents have become increasingly popular since their introduction in 2003. A metal stent is placed in the heart to open a blocked vessel by threading a cable up the leg and into the heart. The drug-eluting stents release medicine to prevent plaque buildup.

The procedure is far less invasive than coronary-artery bypass grafting, in which the breastbone is split open and surgeons use a leg vein or another artery from the patient to create a bypass around the damaged heart vessels.

The bypass surgery requires more hospitalization and recovery time, but a study by UAlbany professor Edward Hannan shows some evidence that it might be more effective. The study appears in today's New England Journal of Medicine.

In Hannan's study, the 18-month mortality rate for patients with blockages in three heart vessels was 6 percent for those who underwent bypass surgery and 7.3 percent for the drug-eluted stent patients.

The heart attack rate within 18 months of the procedure was 7.9 percent for bypass patients and 10.3 percent for drug-eluting stent patients.

Stent patients also underwent more follow-up procedures. All rates are risk-adjusted.

Hannan doesn't suggest abandoning stents.

"We are recommending that doctors and patients need to take this information into account when having a dialogue about what procedure to do," said Hannan, a distinguished professor and associate dean for research at the Albany School of Public Health.

Hannan and researchers from several universities and medical centers studied data from 17,400 heart patients in New York between October 2003 and December 2004.

Dr. Michael Martinelli, chief of cardiology at St. Peter's Hospital, said the study raises important questions but doesn't answer all of them. He noted that the study was observational, not randomized, which is the gold-standard. There are several randomized trials under way.

"This doesn't tell us how to treat patients, but it keeps us mindful of what is not known," he said.

Hannan agrees and said the next step is finding out which patients benefit from drug-eluted stents. He has already started the research.

If you or a loved one have been injured during surgical placement of a stent or have been injured as a result of an implanted drug eluting stent (drug coated stent) such as the Boston Scientific Taxus stent or the Johnson & Johnson Cypher stent you may be entitled to compensation. To learn more about the stent recalls, for information regarding your legal rights, or the possiblilty of a class action lawsuit contact our stent lawyers for a free, confidential, case evaluation today. Fill out our online case evaluation form or call us toll free at 1-800-856-6405.