Savvy Senior: Do I need a coronary artery calcium scan?

Dear Savvy Senior: I conscionable turned 58, and bosom illness runs successful my family. My cholesterin has been creeping up, and I’ve been proceeding astir a scan that tin amusement your existent bosom risk. Is that thing I should look into? — Heart Worried

Dear Heart Worried: You’re astute to beryllium reasoning astir this now. For years, cholesterin numbers person been the main mode to estimation bosom illness risk. But there’s different instrumentality gaining attraction that tin connection a much nonstop look: a coronary artery calcium (or CAC) scan.

This quick, noninvasive trial looks for existent plaque buildup successful your heart’s arteries, not conscionable the hazard of processing it.

Here’s wherefore that matters. High cholesterin suggests you mightiness make bosom illness someday. But calcium successful your arteries means immoderate illness is already present. The higher your calcium score, the greater your hazard of a aboriginal bosom onslaught oregon stroke. That makes this trial particularly utile for radical similar you with a household past and borderline numbers.

How it works

A CAC scan is simply a specialized CT scan that takes astir 10 minutes and doesn’t necessitate needles oregon dyes. You simply prevarication connected a array portion the scanner takes images of your heart. It uses a tiny magnitude of radiation, akin to a mammogram.

The effect is simply a calcium people that reflects however overmuch plaque is successful your arteries:

■ A people of zero means nary detectable plaque.

■ A people from 1 to 100 indicates mild plaque.

■ A people from 100 to 299 suggests mean buildup.

■ A people of 300 oregon higher points to much superior disease.

This fig gives you and your doc thing factual to enactment with. Instead of guessing astir your risk, you tin marque much assured decisions astir whether to commencement a statin oregon absorption connected manner changes alone.

Who needs it

Not everyone needs a CAC scan. It’s astir adjuvant for adults implicit 40 who person immoderate hazard factors, similar precocious cholesterol, precocious humor unit oregon a household past of bosom disease, but aren’t intelligibly precocious oregon debased risk.

If your hazard level is uncertain oregon you’re hesitant astir taking a statin, the scan tin assistance interruption the tie. It tin besides beryllium a beardown wake-up call. Many radical who spot plaque connected their scan are much motivated to instrumentality medication, amended their diet, suffer value and enactment active.

Getting tested

CAC scans are wide disposable astatine hospitals and imaging centers that connection CT services. You’ll usually request a doctor’s order, but immoderate centers connection self-pay screenings you tin docket yourself.

The scan typically costs astir $75 to $200 retired of pouch and usually isn’t thing you request to repetition precise often. Results are often disposable quickly, sometimes wrong a time oregon two.

A mates of caveats: A people of zero doesn’t mean you person nary risk, and the trial isn’t meant for diagnosing symptoms similar thorax pain. It’s conscionable 1 portion of the puzzle and should beryllium considered on with your wide wellness picture.

Given your age, household past and somewhat elevated cholesterol, a CAC scan could beryllium a precise utile adjacent step. It’s worthy having a speech with your doc to spot if it makes consciousness for you.

Send your elder questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, oregon sojourn SavvySenior.org.