Risk of medicated heart stent blood clots extends beyond nine months
Heart stents are small expandable mesh tubes which are placed into clogged arteries to keep blood flowing. Drug eluting heart stents contain a medicated coating which is slowly released to prevent the development of scar tissue inside the artery. While the medication reduces the risk of scar tissue blocking the artery, recent studies indicate that it leads to an increased risk of potentially fatal blood clots.
>>INFORMATION: Drug eluting heart stent problems
Many experts now question the safety of drug eluting heart stents and there has been a sharp decline in medicated stent placements. In September 2006 information was first released that drug eluting heart stents increase the risk of blood clots for years after the stent operation. Since then, Boston Scientific has reported a 17% drop in profits on declining sales of their top-selling Taxus drug eluting stent and Johnson & Johnson reported a 15% decline in sales of their Cypher drug eluting stent.
This month, stent makers have attempted to minimize the risk of death associated with their products following a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology on February 1, 2007. The study followed 2,359 stent patients for nine months. When comparing the fatality rate for those who received medicated heart stents and bare metal stents nine months after the operation, the study found a higher survival rate with drug coated heart stents.
The problem with the stent study is that it ignores what happened after nine months. The study was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, and no data was reported on deaths which occurred after nine months, even though the increased risk associated with drug eluting heart stents extends beyond that time.
Prior studies have shown that the problems with drug eluting heart stents can cause a blood clot four years or longer after the stent placement. The medicated coating on the small wire mesh devices result in the metal of the stent remaining exposed for years after the stent operation. With older bare metal stents, natural tissues formed a protective coating over the metal of the stent, reducing the risk of clotting. With drug eluding stents, the metal is left acting as a virtual clot magnet.
All stents carry some risk of clotting during the first six to nine months after the stent placement. The problem with drug eluting stents is that the risk continues for much longer. The recent study which evaluates stent fatalities over a nine month period should not be used to justify the use of drug eluting stents.
HEART STENT LAWSUITS
Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific face thousands of drug eluting heart stent lawsuits by individuals who have suffered injuries as a result of the defective medical products. The risk of stent blood clots was not disclosed or properly researched before the small devices were implanted into the arteries of millions of Americans.
The stent lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk represent individuals who have suffered blood clots, reclogging of the artery, heart attacks or death. If you, a friend or family member have had a drug eluting stent implanted and believe you may have a case, request a free claim evaluation.
