Original paper
Knowledge about chronic total coronary artery occlusions among Polish physicians

Background: Chronic total occlusions (CTO) are diagnosed in about 30% of angiograms in patients with coronary artery disease. In recent years the efficacy of percutaneous revascularisation of CTO has been on rise but simultaneously has constituted increasingly smaller percentage of all coronary interventions. One of the causes discouraging from such technically demanding procedures may be the lack of knowledge of CTO.
Aim: An attempt to assess the state of knowledge of coronary CTO among Polish physicians. Methods: In the study participated physicians with an interest in the subject of CTO. Study was performed with a questionnaire including questions regarding basic knowledge of coronary CTO.
Results: In the study participated 115 physicians , most of them were non-invasive cardiologists. Only 36.5% of responders could provide incidence of CTO correctly. 62.5% of responders chose medical therapy as a preferable method of treatment. A majority of participants (77.4%) appreciated the need to demonstrate ischaemia and myocardial viability in the region supplied by the occluded artery before revascularisation of a CTO.
Conclusions: The level of knowledge about coronary CTO among Polish physicians is not sufficient. Further education in this subject is necessary not only among interventional cardiologist but also among other doctors providing care for patients with coronary artery disease.