COMPARISON OF LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF MEDICAL-TREATMENT VERSUS PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY (PTCA) IN SINGLE-VESSEL DISEASE

The long-term outcome of PTCA and medical therapy were compared in pat ients with SVD. All patients were confirmed to have greater than or eq ual to 75% stenosis of a major coronary artery by coronary arteriogram . The 5-year survival rates were 96.0% for medical therapy and 98.9% f or successful angioplasty. Both therapies achieved an equally good lon g-term outcome for SVD. The incidence of nonfatal cardiac events durin g follow up was higher in patients treated by PTCA than in those on me dical therapy, but there was no difference between the two groups in t he incidence of nonfatal MI at 5 years (2.5% vs 1.8%). The most common cardiac event in patients undergoing successful PTCA was repeat inter vention associated with restenosis. In view of the long-term efficacy of PTCA, the high restenosis rate remains an important problem and it is necessary to elucidate the causes of restenosis and develop counter measures as soon as possible.