Southeast Georgia Health System issued the following announcement on Mar. 11.
In today’s society, most everyone knows that it’s important to take care of your health by exercising and eating a balanced diet. However, having a healthy lifestyle is only one way to lower risk factors for diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular. Another important component, is getting the recommended screenings to help find problems early on, when they may be easier to treat.
Typically, individuals don’t realize they have any heart issues until a serious incident occurs, such as a heart attack; but a new screening test now offered at the Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick Campus is helping to change that. Like the more familiar tests, such as cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure, used to assess risks of future heart problems, computed tomography (CT) coronary artery calcium (CAC) testing helps reveal the risk of heart disease, often before other warning signs appear.
“A calcium scan allows the patient’s health care provider to assess the risk of heart disease based on the test results and develop a preventative treatment plan to make corrections before it’s too late,” says Matthew E. Certain, M.D., interventional cardiologist and vice chief, Department of Medicine, Southeast Georgia Health System.
A painless test, CT CAC requires a CT scan of the heart while sensors, called electrodes, are attached to the patient’s chest. The electrodes record the heartbeat during the exam to show the radiologic technologist when the heart muscles are relaxed in between heartbeats, ensuring the clearest images are captured. The screening takes less than 10 minutes and requires minimal preparation. After the scan is complete, the patient is able to go home; their doctor will be able to provide test results within a few days.
Understanding Calcium Score Results
CT CAC results are usually given as an Agaston score. This score represents the level and density of the calcium deposits. When there is no calcium found in the heart, a score of zero is given. The more calcium found, the higher the score. Depending on the score, the doctor will discuss probable treatment plans with the patient to decide which strategies should be implemented. Treatment may include changes to diet and exercise routine, medication, setting weight-loss goals, or additional testing.
“For a patient who has several risk factors for heart disease, the test results can help determine the type of treatment plan or medications to prescribe. It also indicates whether a patient is at lower risk for heart issues,” explains Certain. “However, calcium scans alone can’t help prevent a heart attack or stroke. It’s the lifestyle changes patients make after receiving the results that can generate a difference.”
Who should have Coronary Artery Calcium Scan
This test is highly recommended for people who are classified into mild to moderate risk groups, including people who have/are:
- Family history of cardiovascular disease
- Men aged over 40
- Women aged over 50 or postmenopausal women
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obese or overweight
- High blood lipids (e.g. cholesterol and triglyceride)
- Smokers
Original source can be found here.
Source: Southeast Georgia Health System
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