Patient description: A 46-year-old man presents with dizziness and frequent headaches. He has a family history of CAD, but no other cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus and is physically active. The patient's LDL-C and HDL-C levels were 545 and 53 mg/dL, respectively. His fasting glucose and triglyceride levels (85 and 158 mg/dL, resp.) were within normal limits. The patient reported no use of lipid-lowering medications. Neck auscultation revealed a systolic murmur 3+/6+ in the neck, radiating to the skull. Ultrasonography of the carotid arteries, revealed severe stenosis in the left internal carotid artery (LICA), as well as moderate stenosis in the right internal carotid artery (RICA) estimated between 40% and 50%. For the LICA, the peak-systolic (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) cutoff values were 208.5 cm/s and 54.5 cm/s, respectively; RICA PSV was 91.72 cm/s and RICA EDV was 37.37 cm/s. Plaque was observed in the anterior and posterior walls of the internal carotid artery and common carotid artery, which were characterized as bulky plates extending to the middle third of the internal coronary arteries (ICAs) and as predominantly echogenic and hyperechoic, with less than 50% of the area being echolucent with uneven surfaces.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Coronary Artery Disease General 1. Patient is ≥ 18 years of age 2. Patient with coronary artery disease, eligible for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) 3. Patient demonstrates a LVEF of ≥ 25% 4. Patient or legal guardian understands and agrees to comply with all specified study requirements and provides written informed consent to this effect. Angiographic 1. Target lesion is de novo native coronary artery lesion (i.e., a coronary lesion not previously treated) 2. The target lesion can be treated with a maximum of one stent, with adequate coverage onto the healthy tissue, as specified in visual estimate guidelines. Maximum lesion length is 20mm. 3. The reference vessel diameter is between 2.75mm and 3.5mm 4. Study lesion diameter stenosis is ≥70% (visual estimate) and <100% and a TIMI flow >1. 5. Study lesion has been successfully pre-dilated 6. Patients enrolled for treatment may demonstrate multiple lesions in target vessel. However lesions must be covered completely by one study stent. 7. Patient must have no more than two lesions requiring treatments. These lesions must be in different vessel distributions. For example, if the target lesion is in the LAD, then the non target lesion must be present in either the circumflex or RCA. The non-study lesion may not be in a branch vessel or distal to the target vessel location. 8. The non target lesion must be successfully treated prior to the treatment of the target lesion. The non target lesion must be treated with a TAXUS paclitaxel eluting stent or a bare metal stainless steel stent. General  The patient has a life expectancy of less than 24 months due to another medical condition 2. Patient has a history of hypersensitivity to paclitaxel or structurally related compounds 3. Patient exhibits cardiogenic shock (systolic pressure <80mmHg and PCWP >20mmHg or cardiac index <1.8 liters/minute/m or intra-aortic balloon pump or intravenous inotropes are needed to maintain a systolic pressure >80mmHg) for any time within 24 hours prior to index procedure 4. Patient demonstrates evidence of acute or chronic renal dysfunction (serum creatinine >2.0 mg/dl or 177 umol/l) 5. Planned cardiac surgery procedure <= 9 months post index procedure 6. Patient demonstrates evidence of myocardial infarction (elevated CK, CKMB or Troponin) within 72 hours prior to the index procedure and/or CK >2X local lab's ULN, unless CK-MB is < 2X ULN 7. Patient exhibits acute ST segment elevation MI within 72 hours prior to the index procedure 8. CVA including stroke or TIA within previous 3 months 9. Patient demonstrates evidence of leukopenia 10. Patient demonstrates evidence of thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis 11. Patient is contraindicated to ASA, clopidogrel or ticlopidine 12. Patient is currently taking warfarin or possibility of treatment with warfarin during the following 6 months post index procedure 13. Patient has been treated with paclitaxel or other chemotherapeutic agents within 12 months prior to planned index procedure 14. Anticipated treatment with paclitaxel or oral rapamycin during any period in the 9 months after the index procedure 15. Patient has received a drug eluting stent within 12 months prior to planned index procedure 16. Previous or planned treatment with intravascular brachytherapy in target vessel 17. Known allergy to stainless steel 18. Male or female with known intention to procreate within 3 months after the index procedure 19. Female of childbearing potential with a positive pregnancy test within 7 days before the index procedure or lactating or intends to become pregnant during the 9 months post index procedure Angiographic Evidence of probable or definite thrombus of the study vessel, based on angiography or IVUS 2. Study lesion is totally occluded (TIMI flow <= 1)either at baseline or before predilatation 3. Study lesion or the study vessel proximal to the study lesion is moderately or severely calcified by visual estimate 4. Study lesion is ostial in location (within 3.0 mm of vessel origin) 5. Study lesion involving arterial segments with highly tortuous anatomy or where lesion is located within or distal to a > 60 degree bend in the vessel 6. Study lesion involves a bifurcation with a diseased (>50% stenotic) branch vessel >2.0 mm in diameter 7. Left main coronary artery disease (stenosis >50%) whether protected or unprotected 8. Target lesion length >20mm based on visual estimate by operator 9. Target vessel diameter >3.5mm based on visual estimate by operator 10. Target vessel diameter <2.75 mm based on visual estimate by operator 11. Pre-treatment of the target lesion (excluding predilation) with another interventional device