Progress in the Long-Term Management of Coronary Artery Disease

The last decade has seen significant advances in our knowledge about atherosclerosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. Although we are still very far from the final answer, the clinical management is obliged to keep pace with intermediate progress. It is the purpose of this review to comment on the therapeutic implications of such progress made. Without going into the diagnostic approach for an early case of the insufficiency of coronary arterial system, we wish to deplore the lack of any significant advances in recent years in this field. Regarding the general management of such patients, a few recent trends deserve mention, such as the importance of patient education about his disease and making a plan of treatment for the individual patient. Change of vocation should be considered with great conservatism and advised only where the work of the patient involves a type of circumstance that would precipitate anginal pain.