Drug-coated stents may offer promise to heart patients

Stents -- tiny, metal scaffolds -- keep arteries propped open. A new technique using stents coated with a drug that helps keep them open long-term looks promising.

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Using tiny balloons to open clogged arteries -- a procedure called balloon angioplasty -- is one of the most common methods for treating heart blockages. But the newly opened arteries often close up again.

To avoid this problem, doctors use stents -- tiny, metal scaffolds -- to keep the arteries propped open. However, 20 percent of arteries narrow again when scar tissue forms around the devices, resulting in another trip to the operating room for one in five patients.

But a new technique of drug-coated stents may keep arteries open for good, researchers learned this week at an American College of Cardiology meeting in Atlanta.

Stents coated with the drug rapamycin look promising, according to a study presented Sunday at the Atlanta conference. The drug typically has been used in kidney transplants to prevent inflammation and rejection.

VIDEO A new study says drug-coated stents may help ease the problem of arteries clogging up after angioplasty. CNN's Rhonda Rowland reports (March 18) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

"It's a very small trial. It needs to be confirmed, but we're very excited," said Dr. Spencer King of the Fuqua Heart Center of Atlanta. "We'd be surprised if it doesn't turn out to be correct."

The drug-coated stents have worked so far in every patient in the study.

Scott McCarthy, a 53-year-old who suffered a heart attack last year, is one of the patients who may be benefiting from the new stent.

McCarthy woke up to severe chest pains early one morning in May. One of his arteries was almost completely blocked, and doctors opened it with balloon angioplasty. They then presented McCarthy with the chance to try a new approach.

"When they offered the coated stent, I figured it had to be a good thing," McCarthy said, "because as it was explained to me, the coated stent was going to prohibit or help prohibit the growth of scar tissue in the artery."

Less than a year later, he doesn't know whether he was in the study group that received the drug-coated stent or a drug-free one, but so far his artery doesn't appearing to be reclosing.

"My quality of life since I've had the stent is much, much better," he said. "Prior to having the stent ... there was no blood flowing or restricted blood flowing through the heart, and I found myself tired very easily.

"Now I've got the full flow, if you will. My energy level is certainly there."

Scott McCarthy, 53, had a heart attack last year. He is part of a trial study of drug-coated stents designed to keep arteries open for good.

And the procedure from which McCarthy may have benefited isn't the only game in town.

"It's interesting with the drug coatings. Many of them are chemotherapeutic agents used in cancer treatments," said Dr. William Ballard of Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.

Other stents being studied slowly release blood thinners.

Doctors said patients already are asking for these new stents. However, they're not available yet because they're still experimental.

In the meantime, doctors said drug-free stents can get the job done.

"I think it has that potential, but people need to understand that stents work very well as they are," King said. "So the vast majority of patients have no trouble with a stent."