[Appropriate use of balloon angioplasty; a study in the Eindhoven region].
OBJECTIVE
To gain insight in the volume of PTCAs in the region of Eindhoven and in the appropriateness of the intervention.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
Department of Cardiology in the Catharina Hospital at Eindhoven.


METHODS
The number of PTCAs was counted in Eindhoven and surrounding area. Peer review was carried out of 50 randomly chosen patients. General practitioners were asked about their opinion of the appropriateness of the intervention in their patients.


RESULTS
In the region of Eindhoven 91.5 PTCA's are done per 100,000 inhabitants yearly (the national average in 1993 in the Netherlands is 71), 38 in the rural and 133 in the urban subregions. Peer review (by two (intervention) cardiologists, three public health doctors) showed that in 82% of the cases the indication for PTCA was appropriate. According to the Working Group for Interventional Cardiology 34% of the cases were classic indications, 64% were indications in development, and 2% were wrong. In the urban region there were more indications in development than in the rural regions. The general practitioners agreed with the cardiologists about the appropriateness of the PTCAs in their patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the number of PTCAs is relatively large in the Eindhoven region, the indications for the intervention were in accordance with accepted rules.
Post
D
D
Rijksuniversiteit, Instituut Sociale Geneeskunde, Groningen.
Bonnier
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010380:Peer Review; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014505:Urban Population
Gepast gebruik van ballonangioplastiek; een onderzoek in de regio Eindhoven.