Medical therapy as good as PCI in stable disease: the estimated rate of death or nonfatal MI was 19.0% with PCI and 18.5% with medical therapy.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Percutaneous coronary intervention )(myocardial infarction ) From: Internal Medicine News | Date: April 15, 2007| Author: Bates, Betsy | COPYRIGHT 2007 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

NEW ORLEANS -- Percutaneous coronary intervention adds no benefit to optimal medical therapy for extensive but stable coronary artery disease, according to results of the COURAGE trial, and that finding has set off a debate about the medical necessity of PCI in many patients.

As an initial management strategy, PCI added to optimal medical therapy in the COURAGE (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation) trial did not reduce the rates of...