Stress Testing Prior to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Stable patients who undergo PCI commonly lack documentation of ischemia.

Most patients who receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have stable coronary artery disease. Because PCI in these patients is not superior to optimal medical therapy in lowering excess risk for cardiovascular death or future myocardial infarction, clinical practice guidelines strongly recommend the documentation of moderate-to-severe ischemia through stress testing before PCI (Circulation 2006; 113:156). To assess adherence to these guidelines, researchers reviewed records for 23,887 Medicare patients who underwent elective PCI for stable CAD; 10,629 of them (44.5%) received pre-PCI stress testing.

In multivariable analysis, women, older patients (age, ≥85), or those with comorbidities (e.g., rheumatic disease, chronic obstructive…

Reviewing Author

Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

Disclosures

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Thomas L. Schwenk, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate