New Imaging Test at Evangelical Community Hospital Can Gauge Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke

Evangelical Community Hospital, through Imaging Services, is offering a new screening exam beginning in June for prevention of heart attack and stroke. The Cardiac CT (computed tomography) Calcium Score Screening exam is most helpful for people who don’t have a clear high or clear low risk of heart attack or stroke.

Based on a patient’s medical history, a CT Calcium Score Screening may not be covered by insurance. Evangelical Community Hospital offers the CT calcium score test through a low-cost, self-pay option of $135. Patients may benefit from having a calcium score test every three to five years.

The test, which is quick and noninvasive, looks specifically at how much calcified (hard) plaque is in the coronary arteries. A high score of calcium in the heart’s arteries identifies an issue of plaque that can narrow or block artery function and be an indicator of atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease) which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Cardiac CT Calcium Scoring uses detailed images of the heart to calculate a score based on factors such as age, race, and gender.

According to the American Heart Association, calcium testing is useful for making treatment decisions, such as whether to start low-dose aspirin, statin therapy, or other medications. CT Calcium Scoring is most useful in the following groups:

• People reluctant to begin statin therapy and who want to understand their risk and potential benefit more precisely.
• People concerned about restarting statin therapy after stopping treatment because of side effects.
• Men ages 55 to 80 or women 60 to 80 with few risk factors who question whether they would benefit from statin therapy.
• People ages 40 to 55 with an estimated 10-year risk for developing heart disease between 5% and 7.5% and risk factors that increase their chances of heart disease.

The Calcium Test score can range from zero to more than 1,000, with higher scores indicating a greater risk of heart disease:

• Zero: No plaque and a low risk of heart attack
• 1–10: Small amount of plaque and less than a 10% chance of heart disease, with a low risk of heart attack
• 11–100: Some plaque and mild heart disease, with a moderate chance of heart attack
• 100–300: Moderate plaque deposits and a relatively high risk of heart attack or other heart disease over the next 3–5 years
• Greater than 300: More extensive disease and a higher risk of heart attack

Providers can use the score to aid in decisions about blood pressure and cholesterol goals, and whether to use cholesterol-reducing medications, or to recommend a visit with a cardiologist.

Patients interested in testing should see their physician, discuss concerns about coronary artery disease in relation to family history and risk, and ask for a Cardiac CT Calcium Score Screening referral if warranted.

For more information on imaging options at Evangelical Community Hospital, visit www.EvanHospital.com/ImagingServices