Objective: To analyse the effects of different therapies on coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods: A total of 1055 patients who suffered from CAD diagnosed by coronary angiography were divided into three groups, namely pure drug therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) groups. Follow up was carried out from March to May in 2001, and the major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) including death, no-lethal myocardial infarction (MI) and revascularization were observed. In long-term observation, angina reoccurred, and their improvement was evaluated. The short-term period was defined as the duration of 30 days after discharge, and the long term period was defined as the duration from 30 days after discharge.
Results: In the long-term period, the recurrences of angina both in PCI group and CABG group were lower than pure drug group (P 0.018, 0.002 respectively). No differences about long-term endpoint events were observed among these three groups (P > 0.05). Forty-two patients suffering from left main coronary disease were intervened by the three therapies, and there was no death or MI both in PCI and CABG groups, three patients died and suffered from AMI in pure drug therapy group (P = 0.015). In the short-term period, mortality in CABG group (5.77%) was higher than those in the other two groups (1.91% for PCI, and 1.40% for medical therapy, P = 0.002), and no obvious difference observed in the latter two groups. No significance was concluded about the recent MI among this three groups (P = 0.357). There were no differences on revascularization in these three groups.
Conclusions: Percutaneous coronary interventions can not only reduce the attack of angina but also improve the life quality of patients, however it can not improve the long-term existence but left main CAD.