What factors influence physicians to recommend revascularization?
Several reasons influence patients and physicians to prefer revascularization when the likelihood of benefit is less than the potential risk of the procedure. An ingrained preference for action (ie, revascularization) over perceived inaction (ie, medical therapy alone) likely often influences the decision making of both patients and physicians. Moreover, some healthcare professionals are unduly pessimistic about survival with conservative medical therapy and inaccurately optimistic about the survival benefits of revascularization procedures. Patients often mistakenly believe that PCI has the potential to prevent AMI and prolong survival. In addition, the attendant expense and risk of combined antiplatelet therapy for an uncertain period of time might not be fully considered.