title: Strategy for the detection and management of coronary artery disease. "Physiology before anatomy".
abstract: A strategy for the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease should be based on knowledge of the prevalence of the disease in population subgroups. Asymptomatic patients should not be routinely screened. Asymptomatic patients or patients with nonanginal chest pain should have both a positive exercise electrocardiogram and stress nuclear scan before a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease is justified or arteriography is recommended. Patients with atypical angina should be evaluated with exercise radionuclide ventriculography. Coronary arteriography is rarely needed for diagnosis and is most properly used as a preoperative evaluation of a patient who has symptoms uncontrolled by medical management, or in whom a significant amount of myocardium is at risk as determined by physiologic testing with exercise electrocardiography or stress nuclear techniques.
mesh_terms: D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000175:diagnosis; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005080:Exercise Test; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012306:Risk