If Stress Tests Are Not 100 Percent Accurate, Why Shouldn't My Doctor Just Order A Cardiac Catheterization?

— -- Question: If stress tests are not 100 percent accurate, why shouldn't my doctor just order A cardiac catheterization?

Answer: A stress test is a very safe test. Coronary angiogram has risk to it. And so the doctor always has to make the judgment about what the risk and benefits of the test are. And it is a safe and effective and cost-effective way to determine whether you have heart problem first. And if that shows that there is a problem, then moving to a coronary angiogram after that, if appropriate, is the strategy that I think that most people would recommend.

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