[ RadSafe ] Acute heart attack patients receiving high ionizingradiation dose

[Syd H. Levine]

Needless to say the dose of ionizing radiation involved in medical imaging 
is unlikely to really hurt anybody.  My concern about the dose from 
angiographic procedures is nothing compared to my concern about the efficacy 
of the procedure itself.  Far too many unnecessary angiograms are performed 
in the US, and a number of folks lose their lives because of this 
unfortunate fact (not to mention allergic reactions to the radio opaquing 
dyes, kidney damage, etc.).

Aside from the general overuse of this high-profit procedure, no heart 
attack patient should be subjected to the stress of an angiogram or a bypass 
procedure with the exception of those in acute cardiac shock.

We know that medical (drug) treatment is as good as or better than stenting 
from the  COURAGE trial, yet invasive cardiologists have largely ignored 
this.  I would add that the medical treatment is typically inadequate, with 
what amounts to pediatric doses of ACE Inhibitors, Beta Blockers, etc.  So 
for it to look as good as or better than stenting when medical treatment is 
usually half-assed is a real indictment of stenting.

Ten years ago I was told I was a walking dead man by an invasive 
cardiologist.  Fortunately, I found a non-invasive guy who put me on drugs. 
I have yet to have that angiogram that was scheduled as an emergency 
procedure for the next day.

I urge any of you who land in the grips of a cardiologist to read Dr. Howard 
Wayne's books on the subject.  And if you hear a cardiologist say "we caught 
this just in nick of time", run like hell.

Syd H. Levine
AnaLog Services, Inc.
Phone:  (270) 276-5671
Telefax:  (270) 276-5588
E-mail:  analog at logwell.com
Web URL:  www.logwell.com