The role of coronary artery bypass surgery versus percutaneous intervention in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease

Abstract

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) often exhibit a complex coronary anatomy, making coronary revascularization challenging. Coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) is currently considered the preferred revascularization method in patients with DM and multivessel disease. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has advanced with new stent generations having been developed in the recent years, but they have not yet been adequately compared against CABG in the population with DM. Comorbidities, such as renal disease and heart failure, lead to worse prognosis following a revascularization procedure and require especial consideration when choosing between CABG versus PCI. The presence of significant left main disease may also impose additional challenges to coronary revascularization, particularly when accompanied by the involvement of multivessel disease. Most of the evidence regarding revascularization in patients with DM is compiled from studies enrolling patients with stable ischemic heart disease, and trials with patients in the acute coronary syndrome setting are lacking.