Heart Center

Technology & Procedures

BAPTIST HEALTH Provides Newest Intervention:
Drug-Emitting Stent Expected To Transform Cardiac Care

BAPTIST HEALTH Medical Center - Little Rock is proud to announce the use of the new Cypher Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent, made by Johnson & Johnson's Cordis subsidiary. This is the first combination drug device intended to help reduce restenosis (re-blockage) of an artery.

The device is designed to release Sirolimus, a drug that prevents the growth of cells that will often re-occlude the artery following angioplasty (balloon procedure to open heart arteries). Clinical trials of the Cypher stent have shown to reduce the re-blockage rate to less than 10 percent. Furthermore, only one in 20 patients needed a repeat procedure after one year. This is a 75 percent reduction compared with regular stents.

BAPTIST HEALTH is excited about this new technology. We are hopeful that the new drug emitting stent will revolutionize the treatment of coronary artery disease and prevent patients from suffering recurrent symptoms," said Doug Weeks, senior vice president of BAPTIST HEALTH.

With the advent of drug-emitting stents, opportunities for even greater long-term success appear to be a reality. These new stents attack the problem of proliferating cells by coming armed with drugs that keep the cells from multiplying. The drugs are applied to the stents as a time-released coating.

Drug emitting stents are expected to reduce the need for repeat angioplasties, saving patients $10,000 to $12,000 per procedure. These stents are also predicted to reduce the need for open-heart surgeries, which cost about $24,000. Dr. Gary Collins, a BAPTIST HEALTH physician specializing in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology, agrees that the drug emitting stent will benefit cardiology patients tremendously. "This is the latest stage in the technological evolution of angioplasty and we are excited about increasing the standard of care for our patients suffering from cardiovascular disease," said Collins.

The drug-emitting stents are extremely promising both in terms of improving outcomes for patients, as well as for advancing the field of interventional cardiology. BAPTIST HEALTH is proud to offer its patients the latest technological advancement in interventional cardiology, which is expected to optimize treatment and management of those who suffer from cardiac disease.