bare stents

[steve453]

i recently had a bare metal stent put in the main artery of my heart.  it was 100% blocked, the other 2 were fine,  I do not smoke and never have, i am not overweight, had no family history, not diabetic, no risk factors.  I was wondering if there is any general length of time a stent lasts.  i am now on plavix and lipitor, my blood work was fine, except for the high and low cholestoral numbers being opposite of what they should be,  if something does go wrong, do they restent or bypass, and will my symptoms be the same

[Cleveland Clinic]

Your symtoms should be very similar if you develop restenosis.  The risk of restenosis is higher with bare metal stent than with drug eluting stents, but it is still relatively low.  Usually if it does not happen in the first year after the intervention it will not happen thereafter.  The stent will then last forever.  If it does occur, the stent can be reopened with a second intervention and another stent (usually drug eluting) can be placed within that stent.  Make sure that you cholesterol is optimally controlled, LDL close to 70, HDL as high as possible (at least greater than 45, optimally close to 60).

[texas2step]

Hi Steve,  my sister and son in law each have  TWO bare metal stents (2000).  They were on Plavix for 2-3 years and neither of them have had any issues with their bare metal stents.  It has been 8 years now.

On the other hand...I had 2 Cypher Drug Eluting Stents placed in the LAD and One Cypher DES placed in the RCA and ONE TAXUS Drug eluting stent placed in the RCA.  (2004-2005)  Last month, Cath doctor noted the TAXUS Drug eluting stent was nearly closed.  The Cypher Stents were all wide open.  You just never know.
Good Luck to you.

[mazza642]

A related discussion, No change in symptoms following stent was started.