By Mayo Clinic Staff

A stent is a small mesh tube put into an artery to keep it open. A drug-eluting stent has a coating that slowly releases medicine. The medicine helps prevent scar tissue from forming in the stent. A drug-eluting stent is the most common type of stent used to treat a blockage of the heart arteries.

A sudden blockage in the stent may cause a heart attack. Newer drug-eluting stents do a better job of keeping the artery open. They also are less likely to get blocked than older drug-eluting stents or stents without a medicine coating. Stents without a coating are called bare-metal stents.

Current stents are generally safe and work well for most people when used with blood thinners. These newer drug-eluting stents make it less likely that the artery will narrow again compared with earlier stents.

Many people with coronary artery disease have been successfully treated with drug-eluting stents. Use of a drug-eluting stent may prevent the need for open-heart surgery called coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG, pronounced "cabbage"). But some people still need CABG.

A heart doctor called a cardiologist places a drug-eluting stent during coronary angioplasty. This treatment also is called percutaneous coronary intervention. It uses a thin tube called a catheter and a balloon with a stent on it. When the balloon is inflated, the stent is placed to help keep the artery open.

If you have chest pain because an artery in your heart is blocked, a drug-eluting stent may ease symptoms. It also may prevent the need for more coronary angioplasty procedures.

If you have a bleeding disorder, your healthcare professional may tell you not to get a drug-eluting stent. This is because people with stents must take an antiplatelet medicine, such as aspirin, to prevent blood clots. Do not take a daily aspirin without talking with your healthcare professional.

Your healthcare team gives you instructions on what to expect before and after drug-eluting stent placement. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Do you need another type of surgery? If you need surgery that is not on your heart, your healthcare professional may tell you to wait after getting a drug-eluting stent. Some people may need to wait up to one year. Others may be able to have surgery sooner. This depends on their heart condition and bleeding risk. Newer drug-eluting stents may allow for more flexible timing. If surgery can't wait, a different type of stent may be used. An example is a bare-metal stent.
• Do you need to change medicines? Blood thinners and aspirin can affect surgery and other medical treatments and procedures. If surgery can't wait, your healthcare professional may tell you to stop a medicine or change the dose. Do not change or stop taking your medicines unless your healthcare team tells you to.

After you get a drug-eluting stent, your healthcare professional may prescribe medicines, such as aspirin and statins, and lifestyle changes. These treatments may help keep your heart healthy and prevent blockages and blood clots. To keep your heart healthy, do not smoke, eat nutritious foods and get plenty of exercise.