Introduction

The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) in 2002 revolutionised the field of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), by significantly reducing rates of restenosis when compared to bare-metal stents (BMS).1 Following this there was a rapid and unprecedented uptake in their use, such that within a matter of years they were used in approximately 80–90% of PCI cases in the USA, while in the UK their use rose by over 300% between 2003 and 2006.2 3This honeymoon period was brought to an abrupt end following the well publicised concerns over their long-term safety that emerged during the ‘Barcelona firestorm’ in 2006.4 The consequences were a global reduction in their use, and only recently have rates of use recovered to what they were.3 It has been 8 years since the introduction of DES, and this would seem an appropriate time to reappraise their current position, and look to the future, as DESs try to maintain their unique position in interventional cardiology practice.