Screening for Cardiac Disease in Asymptomatic Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Some professional organizations recommend screening for coronary artery disease in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes, despite a lack of evidence to support this practice. To determine whether screening for CAD benefits diabetic patients, researchers enrolled 1123 adults with type 2 diabetes (mean age, 60; mean duration of diabetes, 8 years; no history of cardiac symptoms) in the U.S. and Canada. Participants were randomized to receive adenosine-stress myocardial perfusion imaging or no testing. All patients received usual care for diabetes, and screened subjects (and their physicians) were apprised of stress test results. Use of preventive medications, such as aspirin and antihypertensives, rose substantially in both groups during …