Adverse events beyond 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract

To provide a summary and critical appraisal of recent literature pertaining to very late adverse events (>1 year) after revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with coronary stents. Recent studies, including an individual patient-level pooled analysis of randomized trials and network meta-analysis have demonstrated that all coronary stents, including contemporary drug-eluting stents (DES), are associated with an ongoing risk of major adverse cardiovascular events related to the stented region beyond the first year after stent implantation, with rates ranging from 2 to 3% per year for at least 4 years. Patients also remain at additional risk for events originating outside the stented segments because of progressive de novo atherosclerotic disease. Despite improvements in the management of coronary artery disease, patients remain at risk for very late adverse cardiovascular events both arising from the stented regions and other untreated segments of the coronary tree. Further advancements focused on primary prevention, stent design and procedural technique, and secondary prevention will be crucial to reducing rates of very late events and improving symptoms and prognosis of patients after PCI.