Stent nu ou actif : quelle différence ?

More and more patients are treated for coronary artery disease through percutaneous stent implantation, with a mandatory long-term antiplatelet therapy that is a common difficulty when a surgical procedure has to be performed. There are two different types of stents: bare metal stent and drug-eluting stent. Drug-eluting stents are coated with anti-proliferative agent that decrease the risk of stent obstruction. Following a stent implantation, an antiplatelet therapy allows protection from stent clotting during the period for stent epithelialization. Thus, a double antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidrogel is prescribed for a period of 6 weeks in case of bare metal stent, and for a period of 1 year in case of drug-eluting stent. Protective treatment should not be stopped during these periods of time in order to prevent stent thrombosis and coronary obstruction, particularly for drug-eluting stents where this risk is even higher. Every antiplatelet therapy interruption in these patients before surgery should be discussed by cardiologist, surgeon and anaesthesiologist, for bleeding risk vs. thrombotic risk evaluation.