Screening for asymptomatic coronary artery disease: a systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Pignone M, Fowler-Brown A, Pletcher M, Tice J A
Record ID 32004000191
English
Authors' objectives:

This report reviews the evidence on the value of screening asymptomatic patients with resting electrocardiogram (ECG), exercise electrocardiogram treadmill test (ETT), or electron beam computerized tomography (EBCT).

Authors' results and conclusions: No studies examined the effect of screening asymptomatic patients with ECG, ETT, or EBCT on coronary heart disease (CHD) outcomes. Two fair quality studies examined the effect of a positive EBCT on self-reported adoption of risk-reducing behaviors and found mixed results. ECG, ETT, and EBCT each can provide independent prognostic information about the risk of CHD events, mainly in middle-aged or older adults, but the effect of this information on clinical decision-making is unclear. When the risk of CHD events is low, however, most positive findings will be false positives and may result in unnecessary further testing.
Authors' recommendations: Although ECG, ETT, and EBCT can provide prognostic information about the risk of future CHD events, the effect of this information on clinical management or disease outcomes in asymptomatic patients is unclear.
Authors' methods: Systematic review
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsacad.htm
Year Published: 2003
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: United States
MeSH Terms
  • Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular
  • Electrocardiography
  • Exercise Test
  • Mass Screening
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Coronary Disease
Contact
Organisation Name: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Contact Address: Center for Outcomes and Evidence Technology Assessment Program, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Tel: +1 301 427 1610; Fax: +1 301 427 1639;
Contact Name: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov
Contact Email: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov
Copyright: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.