If you received a “bare metal” stent and you are a high bleeding risk, your health care professional may give you a P2Y12 inhibitor for a shorter period to decrease the chances of bleeding. If you are at a lower risk of bleeding, you may have been treated with a drug-eluting stent, and you may be on DAPT for 6-12 months or longer. If you don’t have a high bleeding risk, a longer duration may lower your risk of future heart attack and clotting of the stent. It’s important to take the medication as prescribed. Stopping it on your own can increase risk of clots forming inside the stent, particularly in the first few months., The American Heart Association explains the various medications for heart disease and cardiovascular conditions., Cardiovascular agents are medicines that are used to treat medical conditions associated with the heart or the circulatory system (blood vessels), such as arrhythmias, blood clots, coronary artery disease, high or low blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart failure, and stroke. There are many different classes of drugs that fall under the general term cardiovascular agent. Some work directly .