Edwin Sheibley had a heart attack and now has four stents and feels great. But stents, angioplasty and all the complex cardiac procedures could make you more than just a little confused. The latest controversy is whether or not to get drug coated stents.

"What the studies have clearly shown is that the drug-eluting stents reduce the chance that scar tissue is going to form in a stent and because of that there's a much lesser likelihood the patient will have to have a repeat procedure," Dr. William Bachinsky of Pinnacle Health explained. Bachinsky says there may be safety issues though, such as Stent Thrombosis or clotting. It is rare though as one to two percent. The most recent study, called the Courage Trials, found great benefits. But doctors still need to look at all of the factors that could affect success.  

"It's a really complex issue. It involves the age of the patient, whether they have diabetes, what type of blockages they have, what are the risks of taking the anti-platelet therapy, Plavix, long term?"

Knowing your doctor has weighed all the possibilities before making a recommendation may make you feel better physically and mentally.