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Evidence summaries

Pcta Versus Medical Treatment for Non-Acute Coronary Heart Disease

PTCA may lead to greater reduction in angina, but there is no evidence of improved survival or reduction of subsequent revascularization, though trends do not favour angioplasty. Level of evidence: "C"

A systematic review 1 including 6 RCTs with a total of 1904 subjects was abstracted in DARE. The risk ratio for angina was 0.70 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.98), for death 1.32 (95% CI 0.90 to 2.25), for coronary artery bypass graft 1.59 (95% CI 1.09 to 2.32) and repeated angioplasty 1.29 (95% CI 0.71 to 3.36).

Comment: The level of evidency is downgraded by inconsistency (the results were pooled although there was significant heterogeneity) and by imprecise results (limited study size for endstage events).

Primary/Secondary Keywords