Coronary Bypass for Stable Angina

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of coronary-artery bypass, 100 patients with stable, disabling angina were randomized to medical (49) or surgical (51) therapy. There was no statistical difference in major cardiac events after three years (death in five medical vs. four surgical, infarction in eight vs. 10, and unstable angina requiring operation or reoperation in eight vs. three cases). Surgical patients with three-vessel disease had fewer major events (P<0.05) than the comparable medical group and less unstable angina requiring operation (P<0.02). All unstable angina was less frequent in the surgical group (15 vs. six, P<0.01).