ABSTRACT
Medical therapy with neurohormonal antagonists is the cornerstone of care and guideline-based therapies should be applied to all patients with heart failure. Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of heart failure and is the second most common cause of heart failure of patients listed for transplant. Heart transplantation is the gold standard treatment in terms of length and quality life for patients with advanced (stage D) heart failure; however, heart transplantation is limited by both donor availability and the morbidity of lifelong immunosuppression. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have been miniaturized and enhanced in terms of biocompatibility and complication profiles, but they remain costly and require specialized care. Coronary artery bypass is the most commonly applied surgical therapy for the patient with heart failure. In patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, revascularization of ischemic but viable myocardium increases survival3 by recruiting hibernating myocardium and thus alleviating heart failure and/or malignant ventricular arrhythmias.
