{"id":28015,"date":"2012-04-04T12:22:46","date_gmt":"2012-04-04T16:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/cardioexchange\/?post_type=news&p=28015"},"modified":"2012-04-05T12:45:17","modified_gmt":"2012-04-05T16:45:17","slug":"medical-societies-release-lists-of-overused-tests-and-procedures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/cardioexchange\/2012\/04\/04\/medical-societies-release-lists-of-overused-tests-and-procedures\/","title":{"rendered":"Medical Societies Release Lists of Overused Tests and Procedures"},"content":{"rendered":"

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and other medical societies have released lists of commonly overused or misused tests and procedures. The action is part of\u00a0Choosing Wisely<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>a broad initiative from the ABIM foundation.<\/p>\n

Here are the five tests or procedures identified by the ACC:<\/p>\n

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  1. Cardiac imaging tests (particularly, stress tests or advanced noninvasive imaging) should not be given if there are no symptoms of heart disease or if high-risk factors like diabetes or peripheral arterial disease are not present.<\/li>\n
  2. Cardiac imaging tests (particularly, stress tests or advanced noninvasive imaging) should not be given as part of a routine annual follow-up in patients who have had no change in signs or symptoms.<\/li>\n
  3. Cardiac imaging tests (particularly, stress tests or advanced noninvasive imaging) should not be given before performing low-risk surgery that is not related to heart disease.<\/li>\n
  4. Echocardiography should not be used as routine follow-up care in adults with mild heart valve disease who have had no change in signs or symptoms.<\/li>\n
  5. Patients experiencing a heart attack and undergoing PCI should not have stents placed in an artery or arteries beyond those responsible for the heart attack.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here is the list from the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology:
    \n\"Click<\/p>\n

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    1. Don\u2019t perform stress cardiac imaging or coronary angiography in patients without cardiac symptoms unless high-risk markers are present.<\/li>\n
    2. Don\u2019t perform cardiac imaging for patients who are at low risk.<\/li>\n
    3. Don\u2019t perform radionuclide imaging as part of routine follow-up in\u00a0asymptomatic patients.<\/li>\n
    4. Don\u2019t perform cardiac imaging as a preoperative assessment in patients scheduled to undergo low- or intermediate-risk noncardiac surgery.<\/li>\n
    5. Use methods to reduce radiation exposure in cardiac imaging, whenever possible, including not performing such tests when limited benefits are likely.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Here are some other cardiovascular-related items from other medical societies:<\/p>\n