Don't order annual electrocardiograms (EKGs) or any other cardiac screening for low-risk patients without symptoms.
There is little evidence that detection of coronary artery stenosis in asymptomatic patients at low-risk for coronary heart disease improves health outcomes.
False-positive tests are likely to lead to harm through unnecessary invasive procedures, over-treatment, and misdiagnosis.
Potential harms of this routine annual screening exceed the potential benefit.
Sources: US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
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Annual EKGs for Low-risk Patients
Download and reproduce this tip sheet (1-page PDF; About PDFs) from the Choosing Wisely campaign and help your patients make informed decisions about their health care.
Choosing Wisely
(*PDF file. About PDFs)