Long-Term Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Significance of Native Coronary Artery Disease Progression

The extensive use of stents during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with concerns about their potential adverse effects. In-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis definitely significantly affect the PCI outcome. However, review of recent relevant studies suggests that stent-related problems may have been somewhat overestimated when compared to coronary artery disease (CAD) progression at nonstented coronary segments as causative factors of adverse cardiac clinical events late (>30 days) post-PCI. Both stent-related problems and native CAD progression have to be equally addressed to optimize the PCI clinical benefit.