CT may be preferred over ICA for younger cardiac patients

CT could be the preferred method for younger patients in cardiac outcomes related to major procedure-related complications, according to research published February 28 in JAMA Cardiology. A team led by the DISCHARGE Trial Group found that while age does change the effect of CT and invasive coronary angiography (ICA) on the outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), it does modify the effect of these techniques on major procedure-related complications. The team reported that CT is tied to a lower risk of major procedure-related complications in younger patients. “The findings emphasize the importance of further investigations into the effect of age in the evaluation of patients with stable chest pain,” the group wrote. While ICA is an established technique for diagnosing and treating obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), coronary CT is a noninvasive alternative for ruling out obstructive CAD in patients with stable chest pain. However, choosing between the two can be difficult, the researchers noted. Age is a cardiovascular risk factor, but it is not well known whether it should be a factor in deciding between ICA or CT. Using data from the Diagnostic Imaging Strategies for Patients with Stable Chest Pain and Intermediate Risk of Coronary Artery Disease (DISCHARGE) trial, the researchers evaluated how age could play a role in choosing between ICA and CT. They measured age’s effect on the rate of procedure-related complications of the two techniques....
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: CT Source Type: news