More about the Heart Scan

The theory behind the heart scan is quite simple. Heart disease is as a result of a build-up of plaque in the arterial walls, which restricts the flow of blood to the heart muscle. As plaques grow and age, calcium bits are deposited into the plaque. By means of the heart scan, doctors are able to detect calcium in the arteries and thus begin treatment early. As the heart is in constant motion, images have to be acquired very rapidly.
Heart disease is today treatable and reversible. Your physician now can offer medications which both lower your cholesterol and stop and reverse plaque formation. Heart scanning was developed to detect early heart disease so that heart attacks and heart surgery could be avoided. All men over age 35 and women over age 45 should undergo heart scanning. You should consider testing very early if you have a family history of early heart disease , diabetes, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure , obesity, current or former smoker, or even prolonged exposure to second hand smoke. If heart disease is established, your calcium score should be checked every year. Calcium scoring will provide you critical information as to how you are responding to therapy. Heart scans have made it possible to find the early signs of heart disease while it is at its most treatable stage.