[Comparative studies of PTCA versus bypass operation: rationale for patient-oriented therapy].

Treatment of symptomatic multivessel coronary disease with balloon angioplasty (PTCA) or bypass surgery as based on the results of 5 large, randomized trials is equivalent with respect to clinical outcome and risk. After PTCA, however, the rate of reinterventions is considerably higher. During long-term follow-up in the BARI trial, mortality was lower in diabetic patients undergoing surgery. Individual therapeutic decision making by the treating physician proved to be an important factor for the patients' prognosis. The role of new devices (stents) is currently under investigation in new large randomized trials.