In the United States, there are about 17.6 million patients suffer from symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD), affecting 7.9% of adults ≥ 20 years of age.1 An estimated 10.2 million patients have angina, and 500,000 patients will develop new angina pectoris each year.1 A subset of angina patients are categorized as refractory when symptoms continue despite optimal medical therapy and revasc...

and brain natriuretic peptide levels. Unlike the Masuda et al. study, atrial natriuretic peptide levels were unchanged, but brain natriuretic peptide levels decreased after enhanced external counterpulsation treatment as they did in the study of Masuda et al. The authors concluded that enhanced external counterpulsation improves myocardial perfusion, exercise performance and left ventricular di...

Refractory angina pectoris, defined as angina refractory to maximal medical therapy and standard coronary revascularization procedures, remains a significant health problem in the United States and the world. Despite a panoply of recent therapeutic advances, patients with refractory angina pectoris are not adequately treated; therefore, scientists have been investigating new technologies to hel...

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a narrowing or blockage of the arteries and vessels that provide oxygen and nutrients to the heart. It is caused by atherosclerosis, an accumulation of fatty materials on the inner linings of arteries. According to the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association's 2010 publication on heart disease and stroke statistics, cardiovascular disease rema...