Appropriate use of cardiovascular technology: 2013 ACCF appropriate use criteria methodology update: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation appropriate use criteria task force.

摘要

The past several decades have seen rapid and extensive changes in the practice of cardiology, especially in the innovation and utilization practices of imaging, interventional, and electrophysiology procedures. Enhanced radionuclide imaging techniques, evolution of echocardiography, development of cardiac magnetic resonance (MR), and coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography techniques, as a well as drug-eluting stents and cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, have revolutionized how patients are diagnosed and treated. Although these developments have resulted in direct patient benefits including improved survival and enhanced quality of life, there has been an accompanying increase in resource utilization and healthcare costs. Although declines in utilization of many cardiovascular procedures have been observed as of late, during the years preceding 2005, the growth rates were at times substantial as these technologies were adopted.