When physicians risk stratify patients presenting at the hospital with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS), they do a good job of targeting the higher risk patients with more aggressive therapy, including early invasive treatments. Unfortunately, these initial risk assessments are highly subjective and bear little relation to proven standardized risk scores, according to a study in the February 23, 2009, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The phenomenon could contribute to a so-called “treatment-risk paradox,” with lower-risk patients receiving overly aggressive care while higher risk patients fail to receive such treatments.

Researchers led by Andrew T. Yan, MD, of ....

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