Drug-eluting stents for the treatment of coronary artery disease: A review of recent advances

Introduction: Percutaneous coronary intervention is a widely used procedure for the treatment of coronary artery disease to relieve narrowing or occlusion and improve blood supply. Although only balloon angioplasty was performed in the early period, coronary stents were developed later and coronary drug-eluting stents were introduced to decrease in-stent restenosis, which is related to the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. Areas covered: The drug-eluting stents are composed of a metallic or polymeric platform, specific drug, and polymers or coating for drug release. In this article, the recent advances in drug-eluting stent technologies for the treatment of coronary artery disease and adjunctive antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation will be reviewed. Expert opinion: The need for further advances in drug-eluting stents or fully bioresorbable coronary scaffolds still exists to improve patient survival or clinical outcomes. The use for different actions or of combinations of drugs with several actions can be potential. Technological refinement and progress in manufacturing to improve mechanical integrity are needed, particularly for fully bioresorbable scaffolds. For antiplatelet therapy after stenting, clinical bleeding reduction strategies, such as a shortened duration of dual-antiplatelet therapy, are in progress.