Current status and future prospects of drug eluting stents for restenosis.

Drug-eluting stents (DESs) prevail in the treatment of carotid artery diseases in the interventional cardiology world owing to their efficacy for significant reduction of restenosis. A current successful DES requires a polymer coating for drug delivery. Clinical trials examining several pharmaceutical agents have demonstrated marked reduction in restenosis following stenting. The development of DES is one of the major revolutions in the field of interventional cardiology. The ideal drug to prevent restenosis must have an anti-proliferative and anti-migratory effect on smooth muscle cells but, on the other hand, it must also enhance re-endothelialization in order to prevent late thrombosis. Additionally, it should effectively inhibit the anti-inflammatory response after balloon induced arterial injury. Although DES have significantly reduced the angiographic restenosis rate and have improved clinical outcomes, late thrombosis and restenosis remain an important subject of ongoing research.