Heart Disease Risk: Should I Have a Coronary Calcium Scan
What is a Decision Point?
Heart Disease Risk: Should I Have a Coronary Calcium Scan?You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them. Heart Disease Risk: Should I Have a Coronary Calcium Scan? Get the facts Your options
This information is only for people who are curious about their risk for heart disease but don't have angina symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure. Key points to remember
FAQs What is a coronary calcium scan?A coronary calcium scan is a test for people who have no symptoms of heart disease but may be at risk for getting it. The test uses computed tomography (CT) to check for calcium buildup in plaque on the walls of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. Calcium in these arteries is a sign of heart disease. During the test, a CT scan takes pictures of your heart in thin sections. The result is a score based on the amount of calcium seen on the scan. The higher your calcium score, the higher your risk for a heart attack. The test takes about 30 minutes. Most health insurance plans don't pay for coronary calcium scanning. The cost of the test can range from $300 to $500. CT angiography is another test that uses computed tomography to see if an artery is blocked. It's different from a coronary calcium scan and may be best after you already have symptoms of heart disease and other tests are not clear. Talk with your doctor if you want to know more about CT angiography. This Decision Point is about coronary calcium scanning. Who should get a coronary calcium scan?Your doctor may want you to have a coronary calcium scan if you have several risk factors for heart disease. Or your doctor may want you to have this test if he or she thinks that results could change your treatment for heart disease. This test might be most helpful for people who have no symptoms but who are at medium risk for heart disease. Medium risk means that you have a 10% to 20% chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years, based on your risk factors. This means that 10 to 20 out of 100 people with this level of risk will have a heart attack in the next 10 years. Knowing your risk for a heart attack is a key part of your decision to get a scan. Talk with your doctor about your risk for heart disease. In most cases, the results from your physical exam and other tests will give your doctor enough information about your risk for heart disease. A coronary calcium scan is not advised for routine screening for coronary artery disease.1 This test may not tell your doctor any more about your risk for heart disease than your risk factors do. Risk factors are things that can increase your risk for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. This screening test is not for you if:
What do the results mean?After the scan, you will get a test result that is a number. This is your calcium score. The score can range from 0 to more than 400. Any score over 100 means that you are likely to have heart disease. The higher your score, the greater your chance of having a heart attack. People who score between 100 and 400 or higher, and who are at medium risk for heart disease, are more likely to have a heart attack in the next 3 to 5 years than people who score 0.2 After you have the test, talk with your doctor about your results. What are the benefits of a coronary calcium scan?Many people only learn that they have heart disease when they have a heart attack. A coronary calcium scan is one way to find out if you have early heart disease before it gets worse. After you know your risk, you can make lifestyle changes such as eating a heart-healthy diet, getting more exercise, and quitting smoking. But if you're worried about heart disease, you can make these changes even if you don't have the test. A coronary calcium scan can give your doctor more information about your risk for heart disease, especially if you already have risk factors. If your score is high, for example, your doctor may prescribe medicines to lower these risks. A high score may also lead to other tests and treatment that could help you avoid a heart attack. What are the risks?
Why might your doctor recommend this test?
Compare your options Compare
Have a coronary calcium
scan Have a coronary calcium
scan
Don't have a coronary
calcium scan Don't have a coronary
calcium scan
Personal stories Are you interested in what others decided to do? Many people have faced this decision. These personal stories may help you decide. Personal stories about coronary calcium scanningThese stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions. My mom had a heart attack in her early 60s, followed by bypass surgery. She didn't have a clue that she had heart disease. I don't want that to happen to me. I'm going to ask my doctor about getting a coronary calcium scan to check my risk. Rose, age 48 My wife has been bugging me to get this test. So I asked my doctor about it. He said my risk for getting heart disease is pretty low even though I have high blood pressure. I'm taking medicine for that and for high cholesterol. I'm also trying to eat better and exercise. I just don't think the test is going to tell me more about my risk than I already know. Jeffrey, age 56 My doctor says I'm headed for a heart attack unless I quit smoking. It's not that I haven't tried. But until something bad happens, it's hard to stay away from cigarettes. My doctor wants me to have a coronary calcium scan to find out if I already have heart disease. Maybe the results will give me the push I need to try to quit again—this time for good. Tony, age 53 I get a physical exam from my doctor every year, and she says I'm in pretty good shape. But ever since I passed 50, I've been worried about heart disease. I saw an ad for this test in the newspaper and asked my doctor about it. It turns out that in healthy people like me, the test results aren't very reliable. I'm going to just keep getting an annual checkup. Maria, age 54 What matters most to you? Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. Reasons to have a coronary calcium scan Reasons not to have a coronary calcium scan I need more information about my risk so I can commit to making lifestyle changes or taking medicines. I already know that I should make some lifestyle changes to keep my heart healthy. More important Equally important More important It's worth it to me to pay for this test myself. My insurance won't pay for this test, and I can't afford it. More important Equally important More important I want to take any tests that could help me find out my risk for heart disease. I don't want to take tests I don't need. More important Equally important More important I want to take this test because I need more information about my risk for having a heart attack. I already know my risk for having a heart attack, so I don't need this test. More important Equally important More important My other important reasons: My other important reasons: More important Equally important More important Where are you leaning now? Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now. Having a coronary calcium scan NOT having a coronary calcium scan Leaning toward Undecided Leaning toward What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts 1.
Can anyone who is worried about heart disease benefit from a coronary calcium scan?
2.
Does a high score on a coronary calcium scan always mean that your arteries are blocked?
3.
Could you still be at risk for blocked arteries even if you get a low calcium score on the test?
4.
Is having a coronary calcium scan the only way to tell if you need to make lifestyle changes to help your heart, such as exercising, eating better, and not smoking?
Decide what's next 1.
Do you understand the options available to you? 2.
Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you? 3.
Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Certainty 1.
How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Not sure at all Somewhat sure Very sure 2.
Check what you need to do before you make this decision. 3.
Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Your Summary Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. Your decisionNext steps Which way you're leaning How sure you are Your comments Your knowledge of the factsKey concepts that you understood Key concepts that may need review Getting ready to actPatient choices Credits and ReferencesCredits
References Citations
You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them. Heart Disease Risk: Should I Have a Coronary Calcium Scan?Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
1. Get the factsYour options
This information is only for people who are curious about their risk for heart disease but don't have angina symptoms, such as chest pain or pressure. Key points to remember
FAQs What is a coronary calcium scan?A coronary calcium scan is a test for people who have no symptoms of heart disease but may be at risk for getting it. The test uses computed tomography (CT) to check for calcium buildup in plaque on the walls of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries wrap around the heart and supply it with blood and oxygen. Calcium in these arteries is a sign of heart disease. During the test, a CT scan takes pictures of your heart in thin sections. The result is a score based on the amount of calcium seen on the scan. The higher your calcium score, the higher your risk for a heart attack. The test takes about 30 minutes. Most health insurance plans don't pay for coronary calcium scanning. The cost of the test can range from $300 to $500. CT angiography is another test that uses computed tomography to see if an artery is blocked. It's different from a coronary calcium scan and may be best after you already have symptoms of heart disease and other tests are not clear. Talk with your doctor if you want to know more about CT angiography. This Decision Point is about coronary calcium scanning. Who should get a coronary calcium scan?Your doctor may want you to have a coronary calcium scan if you have several risk factors for heart disease. Or your doctor may want you to have this test if he or she thinks that results could change your treatment for heart disease. This test might be most helpful for people who have no symptoms but who are at medium risk for heart disease. Medium risk means that you have a 10% to 20% chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years, based on your risk factors. This means that 10 to 20 out of 100 people with this level of risk will have a heart attack in the next 10 years. Knowing your risk for a heart attack is a key part of your decision to get a scan. Talk with your doctor about your risk for heart disease. In most cases, the results from your physical exam and other tests will give your doctor enough information about your risk for heart disease. A coronary calcium scan is not advised for routine screening for coronary artery disease.1 This test may not tell your doctor any more about your risk for heart disease than your risk factors do. Risk factors are things that can increase your risk for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. This screening test is not for you if:
What do the results mean?After the scan, you will get a test result that is a number. This is your calcium score. The score can range from 0 to more than 400. Any score over 100 means that you are likely to have heart disease. The higher your score, the greater your chance of having a heart attack. People who score between 100 and 400 or higher, and who are at medium risk for heart disease, are more likely to have a heart attack in the next 3 to 5 years than people who score 0.2 After you have the test, talk with your doctor about your results. What are the benefits of a coronary calcium scan?Many people only learn that they have heart disease when they have a heart attack. A coronary calcium scan is one way to find out if you have early heart disease before it gets worse. After you know your risk, you can make lifestyle changes such as eating a heart-healthy diet, getting more exercise, and quitting smoking. But if you're worried about heart disease, you can make these changes even if you don't have the test. A coronary calcium scan can give your doctor more information about your risk for heart disease, especially if you already have risk factors. If your score is high, for example, your doctor may prescribe medicines to lower these risks. A high score may also lead to other tests and treatment that could help you avoid a heart attack. What are the risks?
Why might your doctor recommend this test?
2. Compare your options
Personal storiesAre you interested in what others decided to do? Many people have faced this decision. These personal stories may help you decide. Personal stories about coronary calcium scanningThese stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions. "My mom had a heart attack in her early 60s, followed by bypass surgery. She didn't have a clue that she had heart disease. I don't want that to happen to me. I'm going to ask my doctor about getting a coronary calcium scan to check my risk." — Rose, age 48 "My wife has been bugging me to get this test. So I asked my doctor about it. He said my risk for getting heart disease is pretty low even though I have high blood pressure. I'm taking medicine for that and for high cholesterol. I'm also trying to eat better and exercise. I just don't think the test is going to tell me more about my risk than I already know." — Jeffrey, age 56 "My doctor says I'm headed for a heart attack unless I quit smoking. It's not that I haven't tried. But until something bad happens, it's hard to stay away from cigarettes. My doctor wants me to have a coronary calcium scan to find out if I already have heart disease. Maybe the results will give me the push I need to try to quit again—this time for good." — Tony, age 53 "I get a physical exam from my doctor every year, and she says I'm in pretty good shape. But ever since I passed 50, I've been worried about heart disease. I saw an ad for this test in the newspaper and asked my doctor about it. It turns out that in healthy people like me, the test results aren't very reliable. I'm going to just keep getting an annual checkup." — Maria, age 54 3. What matters most to you?Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. Reasons to have a coronary calcium scan Reasons not to have a coronary calcium scan I need more information about my risk so I can commit to making lifestyle changes or taking medicines. I already know that I should make some lifestyle changes to keep my heart healthy. More important Equally important More important It's worth it to me to pay for this test myself. My insurance won't pay for this test, and I can't afford it. More important Equally important More important I want to take any tests that could help me find out my risk for heart disease. I don't want to take tests I don't need. More important Equally important More important I want to take this test because I need more information about my risk for having a heart attack. I already know my risk for having a heart attack, so I don't need this test. More important Equally important More important My other important reasons: My other important reasons: More important Equally important More important 4. Where are you leaning now?Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now. Having a coronary calcium scan NOT having a coronary calcium scan Leaning toward Undecided Leaning toward 5. What else do you need to make your decision?Check the facts1. Can anyone who is worried about heart disease benefit from a coronary calcium scan?
You're right. People who are at medium risk for heart disease will get the most benefit from this test. If you are at low risk, the test results may not be reliable. If you are at high risk, you should already be under a doctor's care. 2. Does a high score on a coronary calcium scan always mean that your arteries are blocked?
That's right. You could get a high score on the test even if your arteries aren't blocked. That could lead to other tests or treatments you don't need. 3. Could you still be at risk for blocked arteries even if you get a low calcium score on the test?
That's right. Not all blocked arteries have calcium. So you could get a low score on the test and still be at risk. 4. Is having a coronary calcium scan the only way to tell if you need to make lifestyle changes to help your heart, such as exercising, eating better, and not smoking?
You are right. Even without taking the test, you can make healthy lifestyle changes that can help your heart. Decide what's next1. Do you understand the options available to you? 2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you? 3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Certainty1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Not sure at all Somewhat sure Very sure 2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
3. Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Credits
References Citations
Note: The "printer friendly" document will not contain all the information available in the online document some Information (e.g. cross-references to other topics, definitions or medical illustrations) is only available in the online version. Last Revised: April 25, 2011 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & George Philippides, MD - Cardiology eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions. To learn more visit Healthwise.org © 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. |
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