Article: COATED STENTS MAY RAISE CLOT RISK, STUDIES SUGGEST DOCTORS THINK THAT SOME STENT PATIENTS MAY BE AT HIGHER RISK OF CLOTS IF THEY DON'T KEEP TAKING ANTI-CLOTTING PILLS.(FRONT)

Byline: MARILYNN MARCHIONE Associated Press

Millions of chest pain and heart attack sufferers thought they were getting a phenomenal medical advance when tiny coils that ooze medicine were placed in their arteries to keep them from squeezing shut again.

These gizmos, called drug-coated stents, worked so much better than plain old metal ones that 6 million people worldwide received them in the few years they have been available. It was a modern record for any medical device.

Now their long-term safety is in question.

Doctors think these stents may raise the risk of life-threatening blood clots months and even years later unless people stay on Plavix, an ...

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