Simple body scan can detect if you'll suffer medical emergency that kills 1.2 million Americans
Lynda Hollander, 64, a social worker and runner in West Orange, New Jersey, noticed her cholesterol levels had begun to rise after she hit menopause.
She decided to visit a cardiologist, noting that she 'did not want to take a chance' with her health.
After reviewing her family's long history of undergoing major surgeries due to heart disease, along with her age, sex, cholesterol and blood pressure levels, Hollander was told she was at the risk of having a heart attack within the next decade.
As a result, she began to focus on eating healthier and attempted to lose weight to reduce her cholesterol levels, but her numbers did not improve.
Ultimately, her doctor recommended getting a coronary artery calcium scan to find out her risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and having a heart attack.
A coronary calcium scan, also known as a heart scan, is a CT scan that provides x-ray images of the blood vessels of the heart.
These images can help measure the buildup of hardened deposits of calcium as plaque in the arteries of the heart and help predict the likelihood of developing CAD before any symptoms appear.
According to the CDC, over 800,000 Americans either experience a heart attack or stroke each year while about 375,000 people die from CAD annually.
About 138,000 Americans died from stroke in 2020 while one American dies of some form of heart disease every 33 seconds and the numbers are rising, especially among young people.
A coronary artery calcium scancan tell you whether you are at the risk of having a heart attack and suffering from coronary artery disease
CAD is a common heart condition that occurs due to a buildup of calcium, fats and other substances in arteries.
This buildup is called plaque, which collects slowly over time in the arteries, causing them to narrow and prevent proper blood flow to and from the heart.
Without proper blood flow, the heart becomes more susceptible to an attack and may even experience total failure, which can cause death.
However, a coronary calcium scan can help doctors identify the amount of plaque buildup in the arteries and prescribe appropriate treatment to reduce the chances of having an heart attack.
Unlike other tests, this scan does not show the rate at which blood is flowing through the arteries. Instead, it only focuses on the amount of plaque in the body.
The scan is meant for those who have a family history of early coronary artery disease and have an intermediate risk for a heart attack.
It also advised to those who have a history of tobacco use, high cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure and those who are obese.
A coronary calcium scan is not recommended as a general screening test for those at a high risk for heart attacks.
It is also not recommended to those who have already had an attack, have a heart stent or had coronary artery bypass graft surgery before.
Based on the amount of plaque in the arteries, experts assign a calcium test score that can range from zero to over 1,000.
Those with a score of 100 or less have mild evidence of CAD, those ranking between 100 to 400 have moderate amount of evidence of the disease and those above 400 have strong evidence of CAD in their bodies, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Dr Robert Segal, a board-certified cardiologist said: 'I've seen too many patients suffer heart attacks that could have been prevented by knowing their Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score.
'The CAC Score is one of the most powerful tools we have to detect heart disease early, before symptoms appear. I strongly recommend getting a CAC scan. It can truly save lives.'
This non-invasive scan is usually not covered by insurance companies and can cost anywhere between $100 to $400.
After getting tested, Hollander was told she had a calcium test score ranging in the 50s
'It was the first indication of what was going on inside my arteries,' she told KAFF Health News.
Based on this, she was prescribed Crestor (a brand-name prescription drug for statins that help manage cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attacks) three days a week and she self-injects Repatha (a prescription medication used to lower levels of bad cholesterol) twice-a-month.
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