Primary Outcome Measures:
- The primary end point of the study is a combined endpoint of cardiac death, myocardial infarction related to the target vessel or revascularization related to the target lesion. [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- In-segment binary restenosis at follow-up angiography [ Time Frame: 6-8 months ]
- Late Lumen Loss at follow-up angiography [ Time Frame: 6-8 months ]
- All cause mortality. [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- Incidence of stent thrombosis (by ARC definition) [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
Drug-eluting stents significantly reduce in-stent restenosis and the subsequent need for target vessel revascularisation compared with bare metal stents. Although this applies to the vast majority of patients, intimal hyperplasia and in-stent restenosis have not been completely eliminated and remain to occur in certain high risk subgroups. Thus there is ongoing research for new, potentially more effective and safe drug-eluting stent systems.
One direction of extensive research is the search of new polymers such as biodegradable polymers which allow a controlled drug-release and disappear with time, reducing the probability of polymer-induced chronic inflammation on the vessel wall.
Another direction is finding new drugs to suppress neointimal hyperplasia. Promising preclinical and clinical results suggest that the Everolimus eluting stent platform might provide potential improvements over prior generations of drug-eluting stents.
