Purpose of Technology: Drug-eluting stents (DES) are a device/drug combination product consisting of a coronary stent coated in an antiproliferative drug. Stents are placed within an obstructed artery during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to reestablish blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Everolimus-eluting stents (EES) and zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES) are second-generation DES and have rapidly become the standard of care for patients undergoing PCI. Aiming to more specifically mimic the endothelial lining, EES and ZES are characterized by a thin strut cobalt-chromium or platinum-chromium stent platform, new antiproliferative drugs, and improved polymer biocompatibility and have been shown to reduce the risk of restenosis and thrombotic complications. However, there remains controversy around whether EES and ZES differ with respect to short- and long-term safety and efficacy outcomes.

Relevant Questions:

  • How do EES and ZES compare with each other for reducing death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularizations, and improving symptoms in patients with CAD?

  • How do EES and ZES compare with respect to safety?

  • Have definitive patient selection criteria been established for the use of EES and/or ZES?

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