A CT scan of your heart might provide the tiebreaking piece of information you and your doctor need to decide whether statin therapy is appropriate.
It can help differentiate patients at moderate risk for heart disease into higher or lower risk groups, explains Mary Norine Walsh, MD, immediate past president of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and medical director of heart failure and cardiac transplantation at St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana in Indianapolis.
The ACC and American Heart Association (AHA) included the scan, called a coronary artery calcium (CAC) test, in updated cholesterol management guidelines published in November 2018.
What, exactly, is a coronary calcium scan?
The test itself is quick and non-invasive. A CT (computed tomography) scan, a type of low-dose X-ray of your coronary arteries, shows “calcified” or hardened plaque that may be present. Left untreated, these fat-and-calcium deposits can raise your risk for having a heart attack.
Who should have a coronary calcium test?
Coronary calcium testing doesn’t replace traditional risk assessment tools that factor in things like LDL, blood pressure, and smoking. Nearly half of all Americans have at least one of these risks, according to the CDC. But it can help you and your doctor decide whether to start a cholesterol-busting statin drug.
What are the benefits?
If you’re facing a statin/no statin decision, coronary calcium can help you and your doctor individualize treatment, cardiologists say.
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