Cardiologists in city vote for stent implants

HYDERABAD : Stent implants remain a reasonably safe method of handling cardiac conditions, is the verdict of most city cardiologists. Reacting to a Federal Drug Authority (FDA) study that talked of the possible ill effects of stent implants, they said drug-eluting stents were excellent devices. But at the same time, doctors ought to be aware of their negative aspects. The FDA report had issued a warning to the medical fraternity after a recent study had reported that drug-eluting stents — which help avoid multiple surgeries in patients with blocked arteries — were associated with negative clinical results such as death and re-blockage of arteries. “There could be a small percentage of restenosis (reblockage of an artery even after stent implantation), but that should in no way affect the use of drug-eluting stents. Of the available options for treating blocked arteries, drug-eluting stents are much superior to the rest,” senior cardiologist Dr Soma Raju said. Dr Raju had worked with President A P J Abdul Kalam to develop an indigenous, low-cost stent known as the Kalam-Raju stent. He dubbed the FDA report as misleading. “As more and more medical research takes place, such results are bound to crop up, but the fact remains that the drug-eluting stents is a superior treatment option despite minor negative results,” said noted cardiac surgeon, Dr Ratnam V Mullapudi. But cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Gokhale G K Alla believes the FDA warning puts drug-eluting stents — often called wonder devices — in the right perspective. The stents had come out with flying colours in the clinical trials. There was much hype and initial enthusiasm about them, he said. “There was even a talk of having sirolimus-eluting stents having zero per cent restenosis. Given this background, I think the warning reminds that new device might also have minor negative results,” Dr Gokhale said. Dr Shilender Singh of Care Hospital is confident that the FDA warning won’t affect the use of drug-eluting stents. “Doctors need to exercise their discretion and inform the patients of the chance of possible negative results,” Dr Singh said.