FDA Says Benefits of Stents Outweighs the Risks
December 12, 2006 11:37

Drug-coated stents are just 3 years old, but the devices are already implanted in 3 million Americans. Unlike bare metal stents, these are coated with a drug to prevent clotting again.

The panel's conclusion was based on studies where patients' cases were usually straightforward. The panel also looked at the majority of stent surgeries, which are usually more complicated, with narrower or multiple vessel involvement.
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The FDA committee is looking at whether special stents create a dangerous risk of clots. Some experts said there is no easy answer. (Lifestyle)

New Stents Raise Safety Concerns
December 15, 2006 11:35

A flurry of recent research has raised alarm about the safety of a new generation of stents that have quickly become the most commonly used devices for treating clogged arteries, creating widespread concern about how to care for millions of heart-disease patients.

The stents, tiny drug-secreting mesh tubes used to prop coronary arteries open, appear to carry a small but significantly increased risk of causing blood clots, compared with older "bare metal" versions. The newer supposedly better drug coated stents may boost the chances of suffering a heart attack or dying, according to recently released studies.

The situation illustrates the potential dangers of assuming that new technologies are better and of adopting them widely before long-term studies are done. (Washing Post)

Too Many Stents Being Used in Heart Surgery
December 15, 2006 11:38

Last year, Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific together sold more than one million drug-coated stents. They have become a primary treatment for the number one cause of death in the United States - heart disease.People with a drug-coated stent seemed unusually... (Read Article)

Is the FDA in bed with the heart stent maker?
December 17, 2006 08:18

Drug coated stents implanted to help the heart are causing fatal blood clots and death. The FDA panel just ruled that these stents have more benefits than risks. What can you do? Has a loved one suffered a blood clot from an implanted stent? Do you need to talk to a stent lawyer about a no-cost-to-you lawsuit? Contact us for a free legal consultation now: