ABSTRACT
Background: Drug-eluting stents have been developed to reduce the rates of restenosis after coronary angioplasty. Several studies have demonstrated that rapamycin eluting stents are reliable and effective. Aim: To report the experience in our Health Centre with rapamycin-eluting stents. Patients and methods: Forty two stents with rapamicine were implanted to 32 diabetic patients, between June 2002 and December 2004. After the procedure, subjects were clinically followed-up for an average period of 19.9+9.9 months, evaluating functional capacity, angina pectoris, dyspnea, need for hospital admission, acute coronary events and cardiac death. In those subjects clinically suspected to have restenosis, a coronary angiography was performed. Results: Twenty-nine subjects (90.6 percent) remained asymptomatic, two subjects (6.3 percent) developed angina pectoris but restenosis was ruled out, and one subject (3.1 percent) died. Conclusions: The use of rapamycin-eluting stents in these patients was safe and successful with no evidence of clinic restenosis. These positive results are similar to those reported in the Diabetes Study.