Heart Health Center

Many in U.S. Get Unneeded Heart Screening Tests

Second Opinion

Patients ask too few questions about screening tests, says Ravi Dave, MD, a cardiologist at Santa Monica -- UCLA Medical Center & Orthopaedic Hospital, Calif.

He reviewed the survey findings for WebMD but was not involved in the survey.

"The common perception among patients is, 'If I am getting a test to check something out, it's a good thing,'" says Dave, also an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine.

But, Dave says, the test is sometimes not necessary.

He urges patients to ask their doctor why the test is needed. "What you also need to ask is, 'Is this something that can be excluded by just a physical exam?'" he says.