These devices were designed as an improvement of older bare-metal stents that have been in use for a decade.

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Yes, doctors agreed, the stents prevent arteries from closing up again, as they do with older bare-metal versions, and that benefit seems to outweigh any danger.

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Unlike the other studies, the data do not come from patients who were randomized to get either bare metal stents or the newer drug-coated version.

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But arteries often heal around the old, bare metal stents in a process called restinosis, re-clogging them and necessitating a second procedure.

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Many say that perhaps 10% of patients who get stents should get the bare metal kind, and that the almost instant switchover to drug-coated stents that occurred after the products were launched was an overreaction.

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These drug-eluting stents yield a marked reduction in early reblockage compared with bare metal stents.

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King is recommending that a third or more of patients who get drug-coated stents might do just as well with the older, bare metal variety.

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However, after one year, drug-eluting stints may have a slightly higher risk of occlusion compared with bare metal stints.

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They may opt for a bare metal stent to prop up a second vessel, or substitute the more expensive anti-coagulants, such as Millennium Pharmaceuticals' (nasdaq: MLNM - news - people ) Integrilin, or Eli Lilly's (nyse: LLY - news - people ) ReoPro, with cheaper ones.

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