Asymptomatic, low-risk patients account for up to 45 percent of unnecessary “screening”. Testing should be performed only when the following findings are present: diabetes in patients older than 40-years-old; peripheral arterial disease; or greater than 2 percent yearly risk for coronary heart disease events.
Sources:
American College of Cardiology Foundation Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force, et al. ACCF/ASE/AHA/ASNC/HFSA/HRS/SCAI/SCCM/SCCT/SCMR 2011 Appropriate Use Criteria for Echocardiography. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Mar 1;57(9):1126-66. PMID: 21349406.
Dowsley T, et al. The role of noninvasive imaging in coronary artery disease detection, prognosis, and clinical decision making. Can J Cardiol. 2013 Mar;29(3):285-96. PMID: 23357601.
Hendel RC, et al. ACCF/ASNC/ACR/AHA/ASE/SCCT/SCMR/SNM 2009 appropriate use criteria for cardiac radionuclide imaging. Circulation. 2009 Jun 9;119(22):e561-87. PMID: 19451357.
Natarajan MK, et al. Canadian Cardiovascular Society position statement on radiation exposure from cardiac imaging and interventional procedures. Can J Cardiol. 2013 Nov;29(11):1361-8. PMID: 24035289.
Taylor AJ, et al. ACCF/SCCT/ACR/AHA/ASE/ASNC/NASCI/SCAI/SCMR 2010 appropriate use criteria for cardiac computed tomography. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010 Nov 23;56(22):1864-94. PMID: 21087721.
Related Resources:
Patient Pamphlet: ECG (Electrocardiogram): When you need it and when you don’t
Patient Pamphlet: Echocardiogram Before Surgery: When you need it and when you don’t
Patient Pamphlet: Chest X-rays Before Surgery: When you need them and when you don’t