Cost Effectiveness of Spinal Cord Stimulation in the Management of Severe Angina

The majority of patients with angina pectoris often experience satisfactory pain relief through pharmacological treatment and/or surgery. Conventional medical management includes short-acting nitrates, beta-blockers, anticoagulants, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, long-acting nitrates, calcium-channel blockers and aspirin, whereas surgery includes coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there is a group of patients that continues to suffer from lasting and severe and disabling angina pectoris despite optimum drug treatment and who are not suitable candidates for surgery. This condition has been defined as refractory angina pectoris [1].