A new study has found that a coronary sinus reducer (CSR) implant significantly reduces chest pain in 75% of people with refractory angina within six months of implantation. The device, inserted near the heart, offers hope for patients whose angina remains problematic despite other treatments.
Patient Experience and Background
Cristian Jensen, a 64-year-old packaging designer, had five angina attacks a week before receiving the implant. Now he experiences an attack every week or two. “It’s an amazing relief, both physically and emotionally, to be able to live my life again normally, without feeling that I’m limited all the time in what I can do,” he said.
Jensen was diagnosed with angina at age 28 in 1990 after an angiogram revealed blocked arteries. Open heart surgery helped him remain angina-free for 17 years until a heart attack in 2007 led to the first of eight stents. In 2015, he began taking drugs to lower cholesterol and used a GTN spray to relieve pain.
Study Findings and Implications
The study, co-led by consultant cardiologist Dr Ranil de Silva and Dr Kevin Cheng, observed 491 people with refractory angina between 2014 and 2024. Of these, 474 had the implant fitted at 19 hospitals in England and Scotland. Most patients went home the day of the procedure or the day after, and serious complications were rare.
“In this respect it is potentially a gamechanger,” said de Silva. The device works by narrowing a vein at the back of the heart, redirecting blood flow to areas of the heart muscle receiving too little oxygen. Each device costs the NHS £11,400.
Future Prospects and Expert Views
Despite the success, de Silva noted that more trials are needed and the NHS must approve funding to expand access. “Many patients report their lives being transformed and that it helps them to achieve the quality of life they wish for,” he added.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “The findings are reassuring as they show that in routine clinical practice the device is being delivered safely and is resulting in fewer symptoms for patients.” The device “offers hope for people living with this challenging condition,” she said.
