Over the past few years, the focus in interventional cardiology research has
centered on reducing restenosis with the use of antiproliferative
pharmacological agents. The use of these drugs, hitherto, has failed, most
probably because of low active drug levels at the target site. This problem led
to the development of local drug delivery using stents, since they can serve as
a reservoir for local drug administration and are in immediate contract with the
coronary artery wall, thus ensuring maximum delivery of the pharmacological
agent. Drug-eluting stents provide an entirely new spectrum of potential
therapies for restenosis. Handbook of Drug-Eluting Stents, under the editorieal
direction of Patrick Serruys, one