Heart patients at Providence Health Center now have an opportunity to receive the most highly anticipated medical product for treating clogged coronary arteries.

They CYPHER Sirolimus-eluting Stent, which is now available at our hospital, received marketing approval by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently. The tiny metal stent is coated with a drug called sirolimos, which is absorbed inside the vessel over several weeks after implementation. The CYPHER Stent has demonstrated positive clinical results in eliminating tissue re-growth inside the artery, which can lead to re-blockage and potential repeat procedures.

"We are entering a new era in the treatment of heart disease and it thrills us to be able to offer this advanced therapy to our patients and be one of the first hospitals in the country to use the CYPHER Stent," said Providence Cardiology Director, Debbie Kucera.

"We anticipate much interest from the community on this new treatment option, but since each patient case is different, we highly recommend that interested parties seek the advice and counsel of a physician," Kucera added.

Providence openly invites any news media that would like to come on-campus for more information. Dr. Wayne Falcone, Cardiologist, along with Cardiology Director, Debbie Kucera, will be available for any type of print or recorded interviews.