Contacts:
Sarah Goodwin

Kathi Ovnic
Holly Korschun
January 6, 1998

ANGIOPLASTY VS. SURGERY: EIGHT-YEAR OUTCOME

"In the Emory Angioplasty vs Surgery Trial (EAST), 392 patients were randomized to angioplasty or coronary surgery between 1987 and 1990, with 100 percent followup at eight years," according to Emory researchers reporting EAST follow-up data at the 71st Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association held in November.

Though not statistically significant, a higher survival trend was noted among surgery patients, 82.7 percent were alive eight years post-procedure versus 79.3 percent of angioplasty patients. Surgical patients were also less likely to require additional surgery, angioplasty or a composite of both.

"The EAST results need to be interpreted in light of tremendous changes in transluminal revascularization as well as coronary surgery," says first author Spencer B. King III, M.D., president of the American College of Cardiology, director of the Gruentzig Cardiovascular Disease Research Center and professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at the Emory University School of Medicine. "Nonetheless, both procedures ultimately offer nearly complete suppression of angina, with more intervening procedures after angioplasty. The trend to greater survival after coronary surgery will await confirmation in other trials."

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(Abstract FRS 239.4 ­ "The Beta Energy Restenosis" -- King, Spencer; Kosinski, Andrzej; Weintraub, William.)

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