Heart imaging follow-up after stent placement in high-risk patients

After a stent is placed in a coronary artery to open a blocked vessel, doctors need to monitor whether the stent stays open and working well. This trial is testing whether patients with complex or high-risk heart disease benefit from having a routine heart imaging scan (angiography) about one year after their stent placement, compared to standard clinical follow-up visits alone. The goal is to find out which approach leads to better long-term outcomes.

Patients with complex or multiple heart blockages—such as those affecting the left main artery, multiple vessels, or arteries that have calcification or prior restenosis—are at higher risk of problems after stent placement. Doctors don't yet know whether routine imaging to check on the stent helps prevent complications or simply detects problems that may never have caused symptoms.