The Initial Double-Blind Drug-Eluting Stent vs Bare-Metal Stent Study.

This is a multicenter (19 sites), prospective, randomized study. This study has a 2 arm design assessing the safety and effectiveness of the sirolimus coated BxTM VELOCITY stent to the bare metal BxTM VELOCITY stent, both mounted on the Raptorâ Rapid Exchange Stent Delivery System. A total of 220 patients will be entered in the study and will be randomized on a 1:1 basis. Patients will be randomized to the coated or uncoated BX VELOCITY stent. Therefore, neither the Investigator nor the patient will know which stent will be implanted. Patients will be followed for twelve months post-procedure, with all patients having a repeat angiography at 6 months. An ancillary study with in-stent IVUS measurements at 6 months follow-up will be performed in all patients of 6 pre-selected clinical sites. It is assumed that these sites will enroll more than 90 patients.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of angina pectoris as defined by Canadian Cardiovascular Society Classification (CCS I, II, III, IV) OR unstable angina pectoris (Braunwald Classification B&C, I-II-III) OR patients with documented silent ischemia;
• Single treatment of de novo lesion in a coronary artery which can be appropriately covered by a study stent of 18mm in length in patients with single or multivessel disease; patients with multiple lesions can be included only if the other lesions do not require treatment;
• Target lesion is >= 2.5 and <= 3.5mm in diameter (visual estimate);
• Target lesion is located in a native coronary artery which can be covered by one stent (single lesion);
• Target lesion stenosis is >50% and <100% (TIMI I) (visual estimate).

Exclusion criteria

• A Q-wave or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction within the preceding 72 hours unless the CK and CK-MB enzymes are back to normal;
• Unprotected left main coronary disease with >=50% stenosis;
• Have an ostial target lesion;
• Angiographic evidence of thrombus within target lesion;
• Calcified lesions which cannot be successfully predilated;
• Ejection fraction <=30%;
• Totally occluded vessel (TIMI 0 level);
• Target lesion involves bifurcation including a side branch >=2.5mm in diameter (either stenosis of both main vessel and major branch or stenosis of just major branch) that would require side branch stenting which is likely to occur if side branch is diseased and intended to be stented;
• Planned Direct Stenting.