Heart procedure put to the test: placebo surgery reveals true benefits for chest pain
NCT ID NCT05142215
First seen Nov 20, 2025 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 31 times
Summary
This study tested whether a procedure to open a fully blocked heart artery (CTO PCI) actually reduces chest pain in people with stable angina. Fifty patients received either the real procedure or a placebo procedure, while all continued their usual heart medications. The goal was to see if the procedure offers any extra symptom relief beyond what patients already get from drugs.
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This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Essex Cardiothoracic Centre
Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL, United Kingdom
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Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth, BH7 7DW, United Kingdom
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St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
London, United Kingdom
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Percutaneous coronary intervention (coronary angioplasty with drug-eluting stents)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could show that opening a fully blocked artery with a stent reduces chest pain better than a placebo procedure in people already on heart medications.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The procedure carries risks like bleeding, heart attack, or stroke, and the placebo effect can be strong for symptom relief.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.