Do clinicians always maximize patient outcomes?
Clinicians attached substantially more importance to the PPV of carotid artery tests than would be justified by their impact on patient outcomes. Cognitive errors and attitudes to risk are likely to play an important role in explaining this finding. This study casts doubts on the validity of common assumptions made in the evaluation of health interventions, and in clinical and policy decisions.
Lacking statistically significant evidence of improved cardioprotection, lidocaine infusion cannot be recommended as a routine treatment during coronary revascularisation.