Non-invasive Cardiac Testing in Ontario

Diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease relies heavily on non-invasive cardiac testing (NICT). While NICT helps shape clinical decisions, the vast majority of tests are done on a discretionary basis. Utilization rates in Ontario, and elsewhere, have risen exponentially over the last decade.

Together, six NICTs accounted for nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in direct annual health expenditures in Ontario. This report focuses on utilization of the six most prevalent NICT tests, namely: electrocardiography; stress testing or graded exercise treadmill testing; echocardiography; holter monitoring or ambulatory electrocardiography; myocardial perfusion imaging; and wall motion studies, including radionuclide angiography.