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Patients have high expectations for angioplasties, study says
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 13, 2010
Physicians should discuss the anticipated benefits of angioplasty with patients to help them make an informed decision on whether to have the procedure done, according to a study in the Sept. 7 Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers surveyed 153 patients at a Massachusetts medical center who consented to elective coronary catheterization and possible angioplasty. The survey included questions about patients' expectations of angioplasty and whether they knew enough about the procedure (link).
Twenty-seven cardiologists also were surveyed. The doctors analyzed three scenarios of patients with coronary artery disease and chest pain and assessed anticipated benefits of angioplasty. They believed the procedure would prevent myocardial infarction in 17% of the cases and fatal myocardial infarction in 15%.
In contrast, 88% of participants believed that angioplasty would reduce their risk for myocardial infarction. Eighty-two percent of patients thought the procedure would lower their chances of a fatal myocardial infarction.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/09/13/prbf0913.htm.
