Patients undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures at Valley Hospital Medical Center may benefit from a new drug-coated stent that helps prevent the renarrowing (restenosis) of a coronary artery following balloon angioplasty and stenting.

The renarrowing can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a stretched blood vessel naturally returning to its initial size or tissue growth occurring in the treated area. Approved by the FDA in March, the use of this stent helps reduce the need for patients to repeat the procedure to open blocked arteries.

The stent is coated with the drug paclitaxel, and your physician(s) should be notified if you are using this drug, also known as TaxolŽ in an injection form or a generic form. Patients who may be allergic to the drug or who cannot take aspirin or blood-thinning medications may not be suitable candidates for this stent, so it's important to always discuss any health and medication issues with your physician prior to any procedure.

The Valley Health System c/o Valley Hospital Medical Center 620 Shadow Lane Las Vegas, NV 89106