CardioScan Healthy Heart Picture

A cardioscan is one of the latest advances of medical technology that many cardiologist are employing today in order to get a better idea of what is going on inside the blood pumping muscle that works so hard to keep us all alive.

There is no longer any need to wait until that fateful day that you land flat on your back in the middle of a busy emergency room, writhing in pain and terrified that you are in the midst of a full blown heart attack! No need to worry that you simply must sit and wait for the “big one” to drop you to your knees. No need at all, since medical technology has left many a cardiologist dancing in the hospital hallway because they can now help their patients by intervening sooner, even before there are major symptoms of heart disease… they can intervene after obtaining a cardioscan to take a look at the anatomy of the heart and particularly after they look at the calcium score of the heart. The heart’s calcium score, determined through the cardioscan, is calculated by the amount of heart plaque that has built up in the vessels of your heart.

Fortunately, a cardioscan is much less invasive than one of the traditional methods of looking at the heart’s vessels, such as a cardiac catheterization. In the much utilized cardiac cath, your cardiologist can thoroughly examine your heart’s valves, arteries, and chambers by using a contrast dye and a catheter inserted into your groin or arm. Because the heart scan is a much less invasive procedure, it makes it much more likely that patients are willing to undergo the testing procedure.

Recently I was given the honor of sitting down for a conversation with Dr. Steven P. Marso. Dr. Marso is a world renowned Cardiologist and was kind enough to share his thoughts on prevention, healthy living, and taking small steps to get your life back on track. Check out the full interview here, Dr. Steven P. Marso Interview.

The cardioscan is a screening heart scan that is used to detect calcium deposits found in atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries of the heart. Research indicates that the caclium score has a strong predictive value for evaluating the risk for future coronary artery disease. Cardiologist appreciate the heart scan method because it is one of the most effective ways to detect coronary calcification from atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, even before symptoms develop.

Think about it this way… the higher the calcium score, the more coronary calcium is present in your heart’s vessels… and the more heart calcium found in the vessels means more coronary atherosclerosis… and the more coronary atherosclerosis that is present, the higher the possibility is that you will develop a significant narrowing somewhere in the coronary system and, of course, this leads us to the saddest news of all… and that is… a higher calcium score, leads to more hardening of the arteries and ultimately an increased risk of future cardiovascular problems.

Wouldn’t you want to reduce or even avoid that increased risk and intervene earlier if the technology is there to help you? I certainly would!

One of the most powerful benefits of the cardioscan is that this test is one of the better options for finding small blockages in coronary arteries. It is also a pro at quickly detecting congenital abnormalities and other issues with the heart’s anatomy. The scan allows your health care team to take a look at your heart in any dimension, including a three-dimensional view. And one of the most encouraging benefits is that the cardioscan is over 95% accurate… now, that’s an impressive rating.

However, it is important to remember that the cardioscan is in no way an absolute predictor for future cardiac events, including life-threatening ones. It is not a crystal ball that can tell you that you will or will not have a heart attack in the years to come. Invent a medical technology that works at 100%, my friend, and you can retire tomorrow and spend your leisure time on a yacht in the middle of your choice of majestic seas. So for now, I feel pretty good about 95% accuracy.

Once your painless cardioscan is completed, a full report is sent to your primary care physician. This report will tell your physician the number and density of calcified coronary plaques in your coronary arteries and your total calcium score. By looking at this report and then reviewing your other cardiac risk factors, your physician may have other suggestions for you to implement, such as lifestyle changes, like increasing your exercise, eating a more heart healthy diet, and quitting smoking. Your doctor may also suggest certain medications or even additional cardiac testing.

A cardioscan can most certainly give you a leg up when you are looking to achieve your healthiest life. The more information you have about your heart health can help you to intervene and change your lifestyle now instead of waiting till you are holed up in an ER with a team of physicians and nurses leaning over you shaking their heads.

Talk with your health care provider and then make an informed decision… a cardioscan may be the right decision for you.