The anti-ischemic effects of electrical neurostimulation in the heart.

I n 2001, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association introduced electrical neurostimulation (ENS) in their joint guidelines for the treatment of angina pectoris. The introduction of this therapy was supported by many (mainly small) articles examining the beneficial effects of ENS for patients with treatment-refractory angina. Even though ENS is considered to be an antianginal therapy, many physicians question the anti-ischemic benefit that ENS is frequently suggested to confer. This review briefly summarizes the antianginal effects of ENS, with a focus on the therapy’s anti-ischemic outcomes.

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