Health screenings come in all shapes and sizes and vary from condition to condition, leaving many to wonder: Are there screenings for heart disease?
Not only are there screenings that can help you determine your risk of developing heart disease, but there is also a screening that can detect calcium in your blood vessels, a sign of a potential heart attack.
Screenings for Evaluating Heart Health
Several screenings should be completed at least once a year by your primary care provider to evaluate the health of your heart:
- Blood Pressure: High blood pressure can lead to a high risk for heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure can be managed through lifestyle changes and medication.
- Cholesterol: Heart disease risk can be determined through a blood test that measures cholesterol. Your provider can evaluate your 10-year risk of experiencing heart disease or stroke using these levels. Similarly to blood pressure, cholesterol can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication.
- Blood Glucose: High blood sugar levels that turn into untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease and stroke.
- Weight or body mass index (BMI): Being obese increases your risk of heart disease, so regularly checking your weight or BMI can help your provider to determine your risk for heart disease.
Coronary Calcium Imaging
A coronary calcium scan, or computed tomography (CT) heart scan, is a fast and accurate screening that allows your physician to look inside your blood vessels for signs of potential disease. The presence of calcium can indicate you are at risk for a heart attack, even if typical heart attack symptoms are not present, and can help your physician determine the best course of action to manage your risk factors.
What Should I Expect During a Coronary Calcium Scan?
No preparation is needed for coronary calcium imaging and no dyes are injected. Instead, a CT scanner is used to capture multiple images that are read by a radiologist. At the same time, an electrocardiogram machine records your heart’s electrical activity.
If calcium is present in your blood vessels, the computer will create a calcium score estimating the extent of coronary artery disease. Your provider will receive a full report outlining the results of the scan and follow-up recommendations.
What Do the Scores of a Coronary Calcium Scan Mean?
- A score of 0 indicates no evidence of calcified coronary plaque.
- A score of 1-10 indicates minimal evidence of calcified coronary plaque.
- A score of 11-100 indicates mild evidence of calcified coronary plaque.
- A score of 101-400 indicates moderate evidence of calcified coronary plaque.
- A score of 401 or higher indicates severe evidence of calcified coronary plaque.
Ideally, your score will be as low as possible. However, if your score indicates you are at risk, your provider will determine the best course of action and work with you to manage your risk factors and prevent heart disease.
How Do I Go About Getting a Coronary Calcium Scan?
UofL Health is committed to the prevention of disease and the care of your heart. For more than a decade, our providers have been offering this life-saving screening while also providing interpretations, measuring the aorta and examining the lungs.
UofL Health offers coronary calcium scanning at:
