Big study suggests steep drop in needless heart procedures

CHICAGO (AP) — Fewer heart patients are getting inappropriate angioplasties, a new study suggests.
The analysis showed overuse of the common procedure to open clogged heart arteries has declined dramatically since 2009 guidelines, which were aimed at curbing inappropriate use.
The study examined nearly 3 million angioplasties done nationwide. In these procedures, doctors guide a narrow tube into an artery, inflate a tiny balloon to flatten blockages, and often insert a stent to keep arteri