Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions : official journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions
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Catheter Cardiovasc Interv · Apr 2000
Cardiac catheterization reduces resource utilization in patients with chronic chest pain.
The evaluation of patients with recurrent chest pain accounts for a significant proportion of the $274 billion annual cost of cardiovascular services in the United States. Our investigation examines the impact of coronary angiography on subsequent use of medical resources for evaluation of chest pain symptoms. The study seeks to determine whether a finding of noncritical coronary artery disease on cardiac catheterization leads to a reduced use of resources for subsequent evaluation and treatment of chest pain syndromes. ⋯ Diagnostic coronary arteriography may identify a subset of patients in whom a finding of noncritical coronary artery disease leads to a reduction in physician visits for evaluation of chest pain syndromes and reduced use of nitrates. In addition, when coronary artery disease is known to be mild, a noncardiac etiology for the chest pain can be sought. These results may decrease the use of expensive medical resources and encourage full occupational and lifestyle rehabilitation.