Medical therapy versus revascularization: the atorvastatin versus revascularization treatment AVERT trial.

Although previous studies have shown that angioplasty improves exercise performance and reduces symptoms better than standard medical therapy in low risk, stable patients with coronary disease, none of these studies used aggressive cholesterol-lowering medical therapy. In addition, the event rate of death from myocardial infarction and other coronary events was found to be slightly higher in patients who had undergone angioplasty. The Atorvastatin versus Revascularization Treatment (AVERT) trial was the first study designed to compare the efficacy of aggressive cholesterol-lowering therapy versus percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in low risk, stable patients with coronary artery disease. Results favour the use of aggressive lipid lowering over percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients with mild to moderate coronary disease. Treatment with atorvastatin significantly reduced low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and was associated with a 36% reduction in ischemic events and a significant delay in time to first ischemic event.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes