Heart calcium scoring: the quick, painless risk detector
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PrintWhat is heart calcium scoring? Do I have calcium in my heart? These might be some of the questions you have been asking yourself. A heart calcium testing is another way to figure out your risk of heart attack.
Heart calcium is a marker for plaque (fatty deposits) in a blood vessel or atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This screening utilizes CT Scan technology (also called CAT scanning) to look at the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary (heart) arteries. The amount and location of calcium detected helps to identify if there is a reason to suspect that you are at risk of having a heart attack. It is a quick and painless test that produces multiple images (or pictures) of the chest and heart. There is no dye injected for this procedure, but there is radiation (like xrays) to take the pictures. Radiation does have some risk with it, so this test is not for everyone.
Who should have heart calcium scoring?
Anyone who has:
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- family history of heart disease
- former or current tobacco use
- diabetes
- blockages in the neck or leg arteries
Who is should not have heart calcium scoring?
Any:
- male under age 30
- female under age 40
- current pregnancy
- no risk factors for cardiovascular disease
- history of heart bypass surgery or heart stents
A cardiologist (heart doctor) and a radiologist (xray doctor) will both interpret the results. The report will contain an interpretation of the calcium scoring with a score of:
- 0 indicating no detectable calcified plaque
- 1-10 being minimal
- 11-100 mild
- 101-400 moderate
- >400 severe
Your score will then also be compared to others of the same gender and of a similar age to help better identify which people are at significantly increased risk compared to their peers. Discuss these results with your Primary Care Provider (PCP) and pay attention to prevention strategies for cardiovascular disease.
To schedule your appointment call:
the Heart and Vascular Center Care line at 445-7363
cost is $50
