Early revascularisation almost halves the risk of death among adults with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and severe inducible ischaemia during stress testing, according to US cardiologists.

Results from their observational study also highlight the “general lack of benefit” from early revascularisation in stable patients who do not manifest inducible ischaemia, regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) status.

Using data from 43,000 adults (mean age 62) who underwent stress-rest myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), the researchers explored the relationship between stress-induced ischaemia, revascularisation, and all-cause mortality in the setting of normal and low LVEF.

Just over one in four participants (29%) died during an average 11 years’ follow-up.