It is for the eighth time that we present this handbook of randomised clinical trials in the field of interventional cardiology.

As in previous editions we have selected papers that were published in high ranked medical journals as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, The Journal of the American Medical Association, Circulation, The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the European Heart Journal, American Journal of Cardiology, American Heart Journal and EuroIntervention Journal. The trials selected all yield important information on the most common subjects in interventional cardiology and the results of these studies might play a role in clinical decision making.

We have updated the booklet which now contains not only relevant randomised trials but also large registries.

For each trial we present in a uniform, one-page format the title, purpose, design, results and the conclusion as phrased by the authors. This enables fast and easy access to the most recent contributions in the interventional literature.

We hope that this booklet will be of use and will serve as a quick reference guide.

Benno J. Rensing, MD, Jeroen Vos, MD, Pim J. de Feyter, MD
March 2008, Nieuwegein, Breda and Rotterdam, The Netherlands