Novel method reduces risks for patients suffering from heart attacks

David Erlinge, senior consultant at Skåne University Hospital and professor at Lund University.
The risk of recurring angina or a new heart attack can be reduced after treatment with a novel type of stent. This is shown by research from Skåne University Hospital.

“The results of our study suggest that in the near future we will likely see a new and improved standard treatment for people with cardiovascular diseases,” says David Erlinge, senior consultant in cardiology at Skåne University Hospital, professor at Lund University, and lead author of the Swedish study "Infinity-Swedeheart."

Heart attacks and acute coronary artery problems are common diseases that affect around 30,000 people in Sweden each year. The traditional treatment method is to perform angioplasty and insert a drug-eluting stent, a small metal mesh tube, into the blood vessel.

This method works very well. However, in about two to three per cent of patients, stents annually cause new blood clots or angina. That risk is reduced with the help of a novel type of stent that partially dissolves after six months and opens up like a kind of zipper.

“I am very pleased with the results. It clearly shows that this new type of stent can reduce the risk of further heart attacks and angina in the same vessel,” comments David Erlinge.

Restoring the blood vessel

The reason some patients may experience problems is that traditional stents are rigid and cannot expand like a healthy blood vessel. The new so-called Stent stent, on the other hand, can.

“For six months, it functions like a traditional stent, but then more parts of the stent dissolve, allowing the natural properties of the vessel to be restored. This means that the stent can bend, expand, and pulse—just like a normal, healthy vessel,” continues David Erlinge.

The stent can bend and expand.

When the new stent was approved for use in Sweden and Europe a few years ago, David Erlinge decided to follow up on the results in his research.

Over four years, 2,400 patients participated in the research study "Infinity-Swedeheart," the largest randomised study conducted on this new type of stent. Patients who participated were randomly assigned to receive either a traditional stent or the new stent variant.

Few experienced problems

“This means that we have been able to follow 1,200 patients with the new stent for up to a year after the procedure. The results show that almost none of them experienced problems with their stent after it partially dissolved.”

Thanks to the Swedish quality register Swedeheart, which records statistics on various treatment methods to develop Swedish heart care, participants can also be followed up for many more years.

“Many might argue that the risk of developing new vascular problems is small, but I think it is fantastic that we can now also reduce that risk with the help of a new type of stent. Avoiding new interventions obviously means a lot to those who today suffer from side effects,” says David Erlinge.

Study abstract: ESC Congress 2024 London (escardio.org)

Last updated: 2024-09-27