Procedure Performed by Cardiologist Results in Death

The clinical indications for percutaneous coronary intervention include the following: acute ST elevation myocardial infarction STEMI, non ST acute coronary syndrome NSTECS, stable angina, an anginal equivalent (eg, dyspnea, arrhythmia, or dizziness or syncope), or an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patient with objective evidence of a moderate-sized to large area of viable myocardium with moderate to severe ischemia on noninvasive testing. Patients that do not meet the indications for PCI intervention should be considered for immediate CABG surgery. Although CABG has been considered the standard of care for patients with unprotected left main CAD (ie, patients without prior CABG or a patent graft to the left anterior descending or left circumflex artery), PCI can improve survival rate and is a reasonable alternative to CABG in selected stable patients who have ≥50% diameter stenosis in the major coronary vessels.