Management of refractory angina pectoris.

Despite significant advances in revascularization techniques and medical therapy, there remains a significant population of patients who continue to have intractable angina symptoms. This review aims to define the patients with refractory angina pectoris (RAP) and to present the therapeutic options currently available for this condition. RAP itself is defined and the pharmacological treatment options other than traditional medical therapies are discussed.

Novel variant of dual left anterior descending coronary artery.

A 29-year-old African American man presented with atypical chest pain. Coronary computed tomographic angiography (64-slice) showed a previously not described variant of dual (duplicated) left anterior descending artery (LAD). Duplication of LAD is a rare anomaly and has been categorized into 4 angiographic subtypes based on the origin, course, and termination of the short and long LAD.

Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass surgery in multivessel disease: a current perspective.

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are both safe and established treatment modalities of invasive revascularization for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, conflicting information exists when comparing the long-term efficacy of the two methods. The optimal treatment for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD) is still subject to discussion, given the lack of fairly designed, prospective, randomized data reflecting current practice in the modern era.

Enhanced external counterpulsation and future directions: step beyond medical management for patients with angina and heart failure.

Between 25,000 and 75,000 new cases of angina refractory to maximal medical therapy and standard coronary revascularization procedures are diagnosed each year. In addition, heart failure also places an enormous burden on the U.S.