New Stents

[Wa State RN]

Was wondering if anyone out there is doing the new stents yet? We just got ours and they seem to be going well, they are a Johnson and Johnson Cypher stent which has medication in them that prevent restenosis. Looks like they are going for $3195.00 each! The patients have to take blood thinning drugs for three months instead of the two weeks with the "normal" stent and that is because the arteries heal slower after the Cypher insertion.

[catlabrn]

Maybe the doc didn't use IIB/IIIA's? Maybe they didn't even give a heparin bolus? I think some physicians think these stents eliminate the need for anticoagulants (which, of course, is wrong).

[passing thru]

What is IIB/ III A's ?

[rstewart]

You probably know them under one of their brand names: Integrilin, Aggrastat, ReoPro. They prevent platelet aggregation so they function as anticoagulants. They work by binding to the GP 2a/3b receptors so they are really 2a/3b inhibitors.

[passing thru]

You're right, now I Know what they are talking about...we use reopro and aggrastat a lot.......

[rstewart]

You are quite welcome, however, that would be Mr. (not Ms.) Stewart. :)

[Taryn]

Hi all,

I am back in the lab after a one year hiatus. Looks like some poor planning on the part of J&J. We are using the "Cypher" and can't keep in them. Just like any new treatment modality, only time will tell the story regarding the efficacy of these very expensive new tools.

[Marnaby]

I work at a large teaching hospital in Boston and they are using the drug-eluding Taxus stents. The director of the cath lab really likes them, but not all patients are good candidates. I also just read an article about some of the stents being recalled because of adverse side effects that some patients have experienced. I guess there are good and bad sides to everything!