4 Topic Commentaries

Coronary Model Shows Limits in Cath-Referred Patients

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  Pamela S. Douglas, MD

  Cardiology

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  Duke Clinical Research Institute

  This procedure has associated costs and it’s not without risk. This study is an important step in assessing quality of care and is integral to efforts to improve it. Our findings indicate that there may be an opportunity to increase the likelihood of finding CAD at catheterization, and perhaps reduce the number of procedures that don’t find disease.

  Source
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  Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC

  Cardiology

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  American College of Cardiology

  This standard approach provides clinicians with the guidance to better evaluate patients with chest pain, identify patients who may be having a cardiac emergency and then select the right test or treatment for the right patient.

  Source
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  Erin D. Michos, MD

  Preventive Cardiology

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  Johns Hopkins Medicine

  It’s concerning because the problem can be missed. It doesn’t show up on a traditional angiogram, which can lead to delayed diagnosis if physicians dismiss the chest pain as nothing.

  Source
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  Markus Scherer, MD

  Cardiology, Cardiac Imaging

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  Atrium Health–Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute

  Cardiac catheterization labs are a capital and human resource intensive care environment. Using them for their maximum potential of treating disease, rather than diagnosing it, bring the highest yield for these resources to the health care system.

  Source