Is angioplasty overused to treat coronary heart disease?

Is angioplasty overused to treat coronary heart disease?

Angioplasty is a very effective way to provide increased blood flow to the heart and to reduce symptoms. However, there's been a recent large study, the COURAGE trial, that let us know that if patients have stable angina--that is their symptoms haven't changed in months, they've been about the same, but they're still troubled despite really very, very good medical regimens and very careful lifestyle changes that have made them as healthy as they can be. In that circumstance, they really are just as well off to continue with medications as they are to move ahead urgently to have an angioplasty. Now, if their symptoms aren't able to be controlled by anti-anginal medicines, it's perfectly reasonal to go ahead and have an angioplasty, but there doesn't need to be a rush to that in the way that physicians sometimes used to feel there was. So just seeing a severe narrowing in the artery doesn't necessarily mean you have to go and open it if you can treat the patient to a degree that satisfies them in terms of their lifestyle and if their symptoms aren't limiting.