Clogged Artery Treatment May Be Misused in 12% of Patients
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A procedure used to clear clogged arteries is done inappropriately in more than one in 10 patients getting elective treatment, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The report is the first to examine whether the procedure known as angioplasty meets new guidelines for appropriate care. It found almost everyone needing urgent care to restore blood flow to the heart, such as those having a heart attack, received proper treatment, while 12 percent of those getting elective care might not have needed the procedure.