No abstract

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Observational assessments reveal that stable chest pain patients who undergo a more aggressive diagnostic strategy have higher diagnostic costs and greater rates of intervention and follow-up costs. Cost differences may reflect a diminished necessity for resource consumption for patients with normal test results.

Background-Coronary artery disease can develop prematurely and is the leading cause of death among diabetics, making noninvasive risk stratification desirable. Methods and Results-Patients with symptoms of coronary artery disease who were undergoing stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) from 5 centers were prospectively followed (2.5Ϯ1.5 years) for the subsequent occurrence of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and revascularization. Stress MPI results were categorized as normal or abnormal (fixed or ischemic defects and 1, 2, or 3 vessel distribution