Common measure of heart function may be overused

Exhaustive testing is the best way for doctors to diagnose patients' potential heart problems and determine if they need a prescription to buy Paxil. However, a team of researchers from Stanford University has found that one costly and potentially risky test may be frequently overused.

For the study, the researchers examined the medical records of roughly 96,000 patients. The results showed that left ventriculography was performed in 81.8 percent of patients who underwent an angiogram, making ventriculography more common than the researchers expected.

The procedure was developed decades ago to assess heart function. However, it can be invasive and expensive. It involves placing a catheter into the heart, which can potentially dislodge clots and cause a stroke. Furthermore, more advanced imaging tools have emerged in recent years, the researchers said. This means that the extra cost and risk associated with ventriculography is typically not necessary.

"It is extremely unusual, in these types of cases, to need another assessment. The only logical conclusion is that a practice pattern is being defined in which tests beget more tests, whether they're necessary or not," said Ronald Witteles, who led the study.