Comparative Effectiveness of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Coronary Artery Disease Executive Summary

Atherosclerosis develops in a patchy, discontinuous fashion within coronary arteries. Therefore, it is possible to treat the discrete areas of obstruction that most impede coronary blood flow to the myocardium. The mechanical approaches to coronary revascularization fall broadly into two categories: coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) and catheterbased percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Together, these coronary revascularization methods are among the most common major medical procedures performed in North America and Europe.