OBJECTIVES: Drug-eluting stents (DESs) have been shown to reduce in-stent restenosis and target vessel revascularization (TVR) in several large clinical trials. We conducted this study to explore the differences in the cost and clinical outcome of DESs and bare metal stents (BMSs). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and costs of patients with stable angina treated with coronary stents in 2012 at a medical center in Taiwan. RESULTS: We enrolled 245 patients treated with DESs and 194 patients treated with BMSs. The use of DESs is a lower rate of TVR compared with that with BMSs (11% vs