20 Oct Patients Can Use Diagnostic Cardiac Testing To Adopt Preventive Care
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr.Joseph A. Ladapo
Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD
Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research
David Geffen School of Medicine
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90024
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Four million adults in the U.S. undergo stress testing or coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) each year because of suspected coronary disease. These patients are high risk for adverse cardiovascular events, but they are often not treated with the right medications after testing. Little is known about how CTA or stress testing affect physician and patient decisions about cardiovascular medications and preventive lifestyle choices like exercise and weight loss. Using data from patients in the PROMISE trial (PROspective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of chest pain), we found that patients who underwent CTA for suspected coronary artery disease were more likely to start a statin and aspirin and more likely to eat better and lose weight.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Our study very clearly indicates that different tests lead to different rates of adoption of preventive care and lifestyle choices. It is likely that national testing practices need to be revised to reduce variation and uniformly improve cardiovascular prevention.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Physicians can save lives by prescribing their high-risk chest pain patients with medications like aspirin and statins, and patients can extend their own lives by making healthier food and exercise choices. We have significant ground to gain in our understanding of how to improve prescribing habits and behavior choices. Interventions incorporating decision-support, incentives, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other modalities are promising, but many patients still do not benefit for a variety of reasons.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Changes in Medical Therapy and Lifestyle After Anatomical or Functional Testing for Coronary Artery Disease
Joseph A. Ladapo, Udo Hoffmann, Kerry L. Lee, Adrian Coles, Megan Huang,Daniel B. Mark, Rowena J. Dolor, Robert A. Pelberg, Matthew Budoff, Gardar Sigurdsson, Harry W. Severance, and Pamela S. Douglas
J Am Heart Assoc. 2016;5:e003807,
originally published October 12, 2016,doi:10.1161/JAHA.116.003807
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
More Medical Research Interviews on MedicalResearch.com
[wysija_form id=”5″]
Last Updated on October 20, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD