PITT PCI Xience Registry

Stents are devices utilized to treat cholesterol blockages of the coronary (heart) arteries. The introduction of drug-eluting (coated) stents into clinical practice is regarded as a revolutionary breaktrhough, as it has reduced the incidence of re-narrowing of the arteries after percutaneous coronary interventions are performed. There has been, however, concerns of increased risk for clot formation in the heart arteries of patients treated with drug-eluting stents. Therefore, in order to lower the risk of clot formation, it is recommended that patients receiving these types of stents, be treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (blood thinning medication) for one year. The effect of this strategy, however, on clot formation and bleeding complications when utilizing "newer generation" stents, such as the Xience: Everolimus-eluting Stent, have not been well described.

Therefore, the aim of this registry study is to evaluate the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, hemorrhagic stroke, and severe bleeding in relation to the timing and discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients treated with Xience drug-eluting stents, and compare it to patients that do not discontinue dual antiplatelet therapy.