Cardiovascular disease kills 900,000 Americans every year and is the leading
cause of death in this country A patient’s risk of coronary artery
disease can be determined by a combination of clinical risk factors, blood
tests, and non-invasive and invasive tests. Coronary Calcium Scoring (CCS)
is a quick, safe, and painless non-invasive test that detects and quantifies
calcified plaque in the coronary arteries, providing an accurate estimate
of a patient’s total atherosclerotic burden. Physicians can then use
this data to determine which patients require lifestyle modification, medical
treatment, and/or more advanced cardiac testing. Patients whose risk factors
and laboratory tests indicate that their risk for cardiac disease is either
very low (less than 10% of the population) or very high are unlikely to benefit
from Coronary Calcium Scoring. However, the information provided by CCS can
be extremely helpful in guiding the treatment and management of that large
group of patients who are felt to be at intermediate risk.
The best way to determine your risk for cardiovascular disease is to review
your family risk factors, lifestyle, and cholesterol levels with your physician.
A quick assessment can also be found at NIH’s web site for the National
Cholesterol Education Program (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/index.htm)
and clicking on “10-year Risk Calculator for Patients”.
About GCM |
phone 301-897-5656
202-452-0601
