Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. 1 in 3 people (both men and women) will die from heart disease. To put this in perspective, one in eight women die from breast cancer.
Risk factors for a heart attack include obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, a family history of heart disease and increasing age.
A coronary CT angiogram enables radiologists (doctors who specialize in imaging) to look closely at the arteries of the heart to determine if you are at risk of collapsing from a heart attack.
Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is the leading cause of a heart attack. There are two kinds of atherosclerotic plaque: soft plaque and hard plaque. Soft plaque is vulnerable. Soft plaque can act like a pimple.
If the pimple pops, it is a heart attack.
Hard plaque (calcified plaque) is less vulnerable. If you have a positive calcium score you have atherosclerosis. Only a coronary CT angiogram can tell you how much soft (vulnerable) plaque you have.
Statin medications help convert soft plaque to hard plaque which is more stable. Statin medications save lives.
If you would like to know if you or a loved one are at risk of collapsing from a heart attack, you or your loved one can get a coronary CT angiogram at Cardia Vision. We recommend this CT scan with contrast for all men at age 50 and all women at age 60. If you or your loved one have any of the risk factors above, then men at 40 years old and women at 50 years old.
You do not need a referral.
Celebrate. Live longer. Cardia Vision.
