Pain Relief in Coronary Artery Disease Treatments

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, Rockville, MD, USA) analyzed 23 randomized controlled trials that compared treatments for patients with mid-range coronary disease--defined as a single blockage of the vital left anterior descending artery, blockage of two arteries, or some forms of less-severe blockage of three arteries--treatable with either angioplasty or CABG surgery.

The report found that about 84% of patients who undergo CABG surgery are free of angina pain one year after the procedure, compared with about 75% of patients who receive angioplasty. The difference narrows but remains substantial five years after treatment. The study also found that for mid-range coronary artery disease, CABG and angioplasty patients had about the same survival rates and similar numbers of heart attacks, but that bypass surgery presents a slightly higher risk of stroke within 30 days of the procedure. A summary of the report was published in the October 2007 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Choosing a treatment for coronary disease has long been a difficult challenge,” said Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D., director of the AHRQ. "But this new evidence-based report provides a vital reference to help doctors, patients, and their families make the best possible decision.”


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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality