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January 15, 2009 -- 8:10PM EST

Thank You, Associated Press, for the Too Many Stents Headline
You see -- I made a bet. When I interviewed Dr. Nico Pijls on Monday (he is the co principal investigator of the FAME study) I predicted that on Wednesday and Thursday, after the embargo for the publication of his FAME study in the New England Journal of Medicine was lifted, we would see headlines (or, as I now call them, "dreadlines") invoking the mantra that "too many stents are being used", "angioplasty doesn't work", etc.

Dr. Pijls hoped this wasn't the case, but I was pretty confident that it would be. However, yesterday I became a bit concerned, because most of the popular press seemed to report this results of this trial fairly accurately -- that is, until the Associated Press article came out.

"Fewer clogged arteries may need stent treatment" is the AP's dreadline, and that kind of sets up the article. I mean if I had a clogged artery, I would want it opened. Of course, the FAME trial in no way suggests that a "clogged artery" should not be stented. The FAME study is about arteries that show up as having a blockage, but they are not significant blockages. Any artery that is "clogged", should be opened.

But these are symantics, and the AP is interested in...well here's the opening sentence: "A new study gives fresh evidence that many people with clogged heart arteries are being overtreated with stents". Overtreated -- once again implying that there are cardiologists who can't wait to stick a stent in your artery.

The study results also were reported by KABC in Los Angeles thus: Study: Stents could be harmful.

For a rational explication of the FAME study results, check out our exclusive interview with Dr. Pijls.

But I welcome the AP article, because now I won my bet.

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