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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Screening That Detects Calcium In The Arteries

Heart attacks and coronary heart disease are the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S., taking nearly 500,000 lives annually. Every 33 seconds someone in the US dies of heart disease and 30% will have no apparent risk factors. Calcification is a recognized marker for coronary artery disease and often occurs early in the plaque formation. Other risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, family history of heart disease, inactivity, diabetes, and obesity. Fortunately heart disease if often treatable, and early detection can play a major role in the prevention of heart attacks and other coronary events. The problem is that the methods for the detection of coronary artery disease are often invasive, painful, and expensive. Westlake Diagnostic Center offers coronary artery screening exams that detect calcium in the arteries. This new state-of-the-art technology for evaluation of coronary calcification uses very fast sub-second spiral CT scanning to detect the amount of calcium in the arteries that feed the heart. The amount of calcium is measured and given a score. Calcium scoring is a direct indication of the level of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Studies have repeatedly shown a very strong correlation between this score and the risk of coronary artery disease. According to a study presented at the 47th Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology, coronary artery calcification detection is a strong, if not the strongest risk predictor, of having a heart attack in asymptomatic patients. This new exam is quick, painless, and does not require any needle injections, fasting, or other preparations, and lasts about 20 minutes. If calcification is detected, there is at least some coronary disease present. Together with other risk factors, this information will help the physician in choosing the appropriate management for the patient. Board certified radiologists interpret the exam and the results are mailed directly to the patient and their personal physician. If the patient is self referred and doesn’t have a physician then the radiologist will ask the patient to select a cardiologist from the cardiology panel, for further evaluation. Roy Gottlieb, D.O. is Medical Director for Westlake Diagnostic Center, a full service imaging center that also offers MRI, CT, mammography, ultrasound, bone densitometry, fluoroscopy, and general radiology.

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