Background—More than 30% of the lesions currently treated with interventional approaches are situated in vessels smaller in size than those representing an established indication for stenting. The objective of this randomized trial was to assess whether compared with PTCA, stenting of small coronary vessels is associated with a reduction of restenosis. Methods and Results—Patients with symptoma...

BACKGROUND Many trials have been done to compare primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with thrombolytic therapy for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (AMI). Our aim was to look at the combined results of these trials and to ascertain which reperfusion therapy is most effective. METHODS We did a search of published work and identified 23 trials, which to...

AIM To explore the safety and feasibility of coronary angioplasty and stenting via the radial artery in a heterogenous group of patients and to report the immediate and 3-month clinical follow-up. BACKGROUND The use of the transradial approach for coronary angiography was first described by Lucien Campeau in 1989. Based on the favourable initial results, this technique has gained widespread a...

BACKGROUND Although percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a highly effective procedure to reduce the severity of stenotic coronary atherosclerotic disease, its long-term success is significantly limited by the high rate of restenosis. Several cellular and molecular mechanisms have been implicated in the development of restenosis post-PTCA, including vascular smooth muscle cel...

Background Trapidil is an antiplatelet drug with specific platelet-derived growth factor antagonism and antiproliferative effects in the rat and rabbit models after balloon angioplasty. Methods and Results The Studio Trapidil versus Aspirin nella Restenosi Coronarica (STARC) is a multicentric, randomized, double-blind trial to assess the effects of trapidil in angiographic restenosis prevention...

A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to determine if corticosteroids influence the development of restenosis after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Either placebo or 1.0 g methylprednisolone (steroid) was infused intravenously 2-24 hours before planned PTCA in 915 patients. The PTCA patient success rate was 87% (mean) in the eight ...

With the demonstration that the timely administration of thrombolytic therapy after coronary arterial occlusion results in myocardial salvage and improved survival, the treatment of patients with evolving AMI has forever been changed. To overcome the inherent limitations of thrombolytic therapy (TIMI 3 flow rates of '55% at best, and rare but unavoidable life-threatening or incapacitating hemor...

As the costs of medical care continue to rise, there has been increasing interest in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of medical practices. One area that has received particular scrutiny in recent years is percutaneous coronary revascularisation (PTCA). In the United States alone, more than 300 000 PTCAs are performed each year at an estimated cost of approximately US$3 billion. Despite the tr...

Background Trapidil is an antiplatelet drug with specific platelet-derived growth factor antagonism and antiproliferative effects in the rat and rabbit models after balloon angioplasty. Methods and Results The Studio Trapidil versus Aspirin nella Restenosi Coronarica (STARC) is a multicentric, randomized, double-blind trial to assess the effects of trapidil in angiographic restenosis prevention...