DRUG ELUTING STENTS WITH PROLONGED LOCAL ELUTION PROFILES HIGH LOCAL CONCENTRATIONS AND LOW SYSTEMIC CONCENTRATIONS

摘要

A drug eluting stent can include a stent body having a polymeric coating with a lipophilic and/or hydrophilic element. A drug that has a bioactivity that inhibits cell proliferation can be disposed in the polymeric coating. The drug can be present in the polymer at an amount greater than or equal to about 150 ug/cm². The polymeric coating and drug are configured to cooperate so as to form a diffusion pathway with tissue when the stent is disposed in a body lumen such that the drug preferentially diffuses into the tissue over a body fluid passing through the body lumen such that a maximum systemic blood concentration of the drug is less than about 40 ng/ml.