USPSTF Updates 2012 CVD Screening Recommendations
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not endorse electrocardiography (ECG) screening for the detection of atrial fibrillation or the prevention of cardiovascular disease events, according to 2 new recommendation statements.
In the first statement, the USPSTF examined the potential use of ECG for the detection of atrial fibrillation, and whether it was better than opportunistic screening or usual care. They commissioned a systematic review in which they found “insufficient evidence to determine the balance of benefits and harms of screening for atrial fibrillation with ECG in asymptomatic adults.” They also found that screening was associated with small-to-moderate potential harms, including misdiagnosis and overtreatment.
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In the second statement, an update to their 2012 recommendation, the USPSTF examined whether adding exercise or resting ECG to conventional risk factor assessment could improve outcomes in screening for cardiovascular disease. They issued a grade D recommendation against the use of ECG for the prevention of cardiovascular disease events in low-risk, asymptomatic adults, and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to determine whether screening adults with intermediate or high risk should be recommended.
—Michael Potts
References:
USPSTF. Draft recommendation statement: Cardiovascular disease risk: screening with electrocardiography. December, 2017. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/draft-recommendation-statement/cardiovascular-disease-risk-screening-with-electrocardiography.
USPSTF. Draft recommendation statement: Atrial fibrillation: screening with electrocardiography. December, 2017. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/draft-recommendation-statement/atrial-fibrillation-screening-with-electrocardiography.