Meta-analysis links drug balloons to higher heart risks

This meta-analysis reviewed studies comparing drug-coated balloons (DCB) with drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing angioplasty. It included 8,123 patients from various trials. The analysis found that DCB were associated with significantly higher risks of repeat procedures on the treated lesion, device-oriented complications, patient-oriented complications, and cardiac death compared to DES. However, there were no significant differences in major adverse cardiac events, heart attacks, all-cause death, or thrombosis. The increased risk of cardiac death appeared driven by paclitaxel-coated balloons, while sirolimus-coated balloons showed no such signal, but this finding is exploratory and based on limited data. The main reason to be careful is that many results come from exploratory analyses with small sample sizes or short follow-up. Readers should know this is a review of existing trials, not new practice guidelines, and decisions should be made with a doctor.