DISCHARGE Trial: Cardiac CT or Coronary Angiography? [with subtitles]

In Europe, around 3.5 million cardiac catheterisations are performed every year. However, 50 to 60 percent of these minimally invasive examinations result in no further treatment. Prof. Dr. Marc Dewey ( / profdewey ) from the Department of radiology at Charité and his partners are investigating whether non-invasive cardiac computed tomography (CT) is reliable in order to diagnose or rule out coronary artery disease and unnecessary cardiac catheters can be reduced. In a pragmatic randomised controlled trial, the effectiveness of non-invasive CT compared to minimally invasive cardiac catheterisation is examined in a sample of 3500 patients with chest pain. Primary endpoint of the study is the occurrence of cardiovascular events (MACE: Major Adverse Cardiavascular Events) over a period of 4 years maximum. Secondary endpoints include for instance cost-effectiveness, radiation exposure, and quality of life.
More information: www.dischargetrial.eu
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