Angioplasty's golden era may be fading

[flashl]

WASHINGTON — One day last week, three doctors here reached inside a man's leaky heart and plugged a hole that threatened his life.

...

The 87-year-old patient was too frail to risk open-heart surgery. Instead, they slipped a patch on the tip of a wire through a labyrinth of blood vessels into his heart.

...

Three major studies published in the past two years indicate that using the procedure to open blocked arteries to treat chest pain, or angina, may be riskier and no more beneficial than medication.

The research suggests angioplasty is used too often, and in many cases, the modest benefits don't justify the procedure's cost, which ranges from $10,000 to $12,000. The topic will be debated at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology starting this weekend in Chicago.

USA Today

[Buzz Clik]

1. Dick Cheney will find this interesting.

He gets an angioplasty every time he changes the oil in his car -- and he does them both himself.

[TheDebbieDee]

2. Hahahahahaha!

Good one!

[Warpy]

3. They certainly need to try medication first

They've been really quick to shove people into high profit angioplasty for far too long, patients who could have been maintained on medication for years before the procedure were actually needed.

Angioplasty does save lives, though. Clear guidelines about who should have it and who should be maintained on medication are needed.

[grasswire]

4. follow the dollar (eom)