ORBITA, the double-blind, randomized control trial on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in stable angina, revealed a worrying result: Researchers found that PCI was no better than a placebo in relieving participants' chest pain.

Both patient groups in the study underwent a rigorous medical optimization process, then half received a drug-eluting stent while the other half went through a sham intervention. While both cohorts saw an improvement in exercise capacity, reported chest pain, and quality of life In the six-week follow-up period, the PCI group performed no better than the placebo group.