Stent Overuse Raises Questions About Industry Influence

A host of lawsuits and research studies have raised questions about the overuse of stents after a Pittsburgh hospital informed 141 patients they may have received unneeded angioplasties and stents - the tiny mesh tubes inserted to keep arteries open; a Towson, Md. cardiologist is being accused of unnecessarily implanting stents in over 500 patients; and a new study released this week found that more than half of patients with stable heart disease who received angioplasty and stents did not receive medication first, despite scientific guideline recommendations.