The Shocking Truth Behind Heart Stents: How Some Cardiologists Are Gaming the System for Profit
“The sense of irrationality surrounding this practice is so strong that the phenomenon has been coined the oculostenotic reflex (I see a stenosis; I stent it).” They see a narrowing and stent it as though they can’t even help themselves.
Since the procedure carries some risks, including death, there’s an argument that stents should only be used for individuals who are actively having heart attacks and are in an emergency or unstable situation. Thankfully, there are now published, appropriate-use criteria in place to help guide cardiologists, and the good news is that 82 percent of stents are “reported to be performed in emergency or unstable situations.” So, we can disregard that ORBITA study that showed there was no benefit in stable patients since it’s now almost always performed only in unstable patients, right? Well, that’s how it’s almost always reported. “There are 2 ways a physician can become compliant. One is to do fewer unnecessary procedures”—which is the whole point (but where’s the money in that?)—“and the other is to make unnecessary procedures seem necessary.”
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