COURAGE, ORBITA, and ISCHEMIA: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

This review article summarizes key landmark trials that have shaped understanding of the role of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The relationship between stenosis, ischemia, and angina is more complex than first imagined. Anginal relief remains the primary indication for PCI in stable CAD. The first placebo-controlled PCI trial showed a surprisingly small effect size, suggesting a significant placebo effect. PCI in stable CAD has not been shown to improve mortality or overall myocardial infarction rates, even in the presence of significant ischemia. Rather, risk reduction medical therapy remains the main intervention for improving outcomes.