What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed randomized trials that tested adding hyperbaric oxygen therapy to standard treatment for people having a heart attack or unstable angina, conditions grouped together as acute coronary syndrome.
What They Found
This Cochrane systematic review of randomized trials found that adding hyperbaric oxygen therapy to standard treatment cut the risk of death by 42 percent (risk ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.92). The therapy was well tolerated by patients in the trials reviewed. No additional numerical results beyond these are reported in the available abstract text.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The review's authors found no new qualifying trials since their last search update in 2010, so the conclusions rest on a small, older group of studies rather than fresh evidence.