What is coronary calcium scan? A simple heart test that can save your life

When we think of a cardiac arrest, we usually imagine dramatic scenes – chest pain, ambulance and emergency surgery. However, the truth is that for most people, heart disease is going on quietly before any symptom is really visible.

This is the same where a test called coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan comes. This has been reduced quickly, non-invasive and stunning, especially given how many life-sax information it can provide.

“Yes, traditional blood tests and stress tests are useful, but they do not actually show the disease. CAC scanning,” a senior traditional cardiologist Dr. Lilavati Hospital. Dinesh Narang says. “This is one of the few devices that we have that can see the risk of heart attack which are otherwise invisible.”

What is calcium score?

This is a CT scan with a very specific goal: checking for calcium deposit in the arteries that feed our heart. These deposits are early warning indications of plaque build-ups (known as atherosclerosis) that can eventually lead cardiac arrest. The test gives you a “calcium score” that speaks volume about your heart health and do you need warning signs.

A score of 0 translates to zero plaque, Which means you are clear. No visible heart disease. Similarly, a calcium score between There is 1-100 light plaque, Which shows some build-up, but it is usually managed with lifestyle changes. A score on the scan There is 101–400 medium plaque. This means that it is time to become active. Drugs like Statin can be recommended for such patients.

A score of 401+ is known as a broad plaqueThis simply means that you are at high risk; Immediate action for these patients is non-oblivious.

A preventive cardiologist and faculty member Dr. Achruti Mehta believes, “A CAC score of zero is the most powerful negative prophet that we have in cardiology. It is like getting a clean bill of health for your arteries.” And 401 plus is also an assurance that your heart is at risk.

Should you take this exam?

Here is a warning that experts want you to keep in mind. CAC is not a scan for all. This is for patients who are “in-times” somewhere-when you do not have low risk, but not even high risk.

There are three specific conditions that may need to be considered before choosing for such a scan. “I would suggest it more than 40 or a woman with one or more heart -risk factors (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or smoking history) for a woman of more than 50. You can also consider whether the number of cholesterol is the range of cholesterol, and you are not sure if you need to really need to be on medicine.

“Uncertain about starting life for patients, a CAC score can solve the debate,” Dr. Mehta says. “If it’s zero, great – you may be able to delay. But if it’s 250? It’s not something you ignore.”

On the other hand, the scan is not really necessary if you are in your 20 or 30s, and there is no family history.

How does it compare other heart tests

People often confuse the CAC scan with stress tests or cholesterol tests, but each test describes a separate part of the story. While a cholesterol test shows risk factor, they do not tell you if you really have heart disease. On the other hand, a ‘stress’ test checks how well blood flows into your heart when exercising. But they can miss small plaques, which often break down and suddenly cause heart attacks.

A CAC scan goes directly to the point. This shows the real plaque in your arteries, before you feel one thing. As Dr. Mehta has said: “Most heart attacks are caused by soft plaques, which break up, not always major obstacles we usually see in most cardiac tests. So a person can pass a stress test today and still may have a heart attack next week.”

Like any test, it also has limitations, but they are very minor in most cases. There is a slight radiation risk, but it is similar to a mammogram or a couple of cross-comput flights! CAC is not always covered by insurance, although many clinics provide it for Rs 5,000 – Rs 15,000. The scan cannot show a soft plaque, but the calcified plaque is still a strong indicator of the overall plaque burden in someone’s body.

Bangalore -based radiologist Dr. Dhirj Kapoor, who oversees more than 2,000 CAC scans, says it is best: “Radiation is minimal, and the value of what you learn? It is very large. The test can completely change how a person reaches for his heart health.”

Here is the big picture: For decades, our approach to prevent heart disease is based on figures and possibilities. The CAC scan provides something better: it shows you what is really inside your own arteries.

Dr. “Nothing,” says Narang, “CAC scan helps people take action before anything. It is powerful. ,

So if you are uncertain where you are standing – or you are just tired by guessing – tell your doctor. Ask about the CAC scan. This can just give you the most obvious picture of the future of your heart. And sometimes, knowing is everything.