Think a stress test and a simple blood workup are all you need to assess your heart attack risk? Wrong.
Cardiac Calcium Scoring
How It Works: A CT scanner checks for atherosclerotic plaque (made up of calcium, cholesterol, and scar tissue) in your heart’s arteries. After electrodes are attached to your chest and to an EKG machine that monitors your heartbeat, you lie on an exam table that slides into a short, doughnut-shaped tunnel and hold your breath for 10 to 20 seconds.
Cost: $99 to $399
Duration: 10 minutes
Why It’s Heart Smart: “Calcium scoring is the number one best predictor of a future heart attack,” Dr. Agatston says. Calcified plaque– a major warning sign of coronary artery disease, the leading cause of heart attacks–shows up at least 10 years before a heart attack or stroke hits. By catching the problem early, you can treat it before the buildup narrows arteries so severely that it triggers a heart attack.
Get It If: You’re 50 or older with risk factors– or you’re younger with a family history and several risk factors. Since the test involves x-rays, women shouldn’t have it if there’s any chance they might be pregnant.
What the Results Mean: You’ll get an Agatston Score (developed by Dr. Agatston), which indicates the total amount of hard and soft plaque in your heart’s arteries. A score of zero means you have no calcium deposits and a low risk of heart attack in the next 5 years. A score of 400 or more puts you at high risk of a heart attack within 10 years; a score of 1,000+ means you have up to a 25% chance of having a heart attack within a year without medical treatment.
Next Steps: If your score is 200 or higher, your doctor may advise lifestyle changes, a statin to lower cholesterol, or a diabetes drug to lower blood sugar–all of which will also reduce plaque.
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