[Conservative versus invasive treatment of the patient with chronic occluded coronary arteries].

ABSTRACT

Patients with chronic total occluded coronary arteries (CTO) have worse prognosis than patients who do not have CTO. Medical therapy before embarking on invasive treatment is recommended. Invasive management with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting is reserved for patients who receive medical treatment and have resistant angina and reversible ischaemia. Treatment should always be decided in collaboration with the patient, cardiologists, and cardio-thoracic surgeons. Follow-up treatment in the primary sector should include cardiac rehabilitation and reconsideration of medical therapy.