Heart screening

The challenge for healthcare professionals is to begin comprehensive risk reduction for more patients at an earlier stage of their disease."

Even though it is the leading cause of death in the United States, coronary heart disease often remains undetected in many individuals for many years.  Coronary heart disease is a slow, progressive disease that can begin early in life and often will not be diagnosed until a major cardiac event occurs.

Unlike other tests, which try to detect abnormal blood flow in the coronary arteries, CT looks directly at anatomy. Blood flow is altered only in advanced disease and most tests will appear normal in early or mild coronary artery disease. Only CT can detect the earliest stages of coronary artery disease, before the buildup of plaque can impede blood flow to the heart, because it examines the anatomy and can detect the earliest signs of calcium in the plaques, significantly before there is any narrowing of the coronary arteries. A normal scan indicates no coronary artery disease. Very severe disease could need an CT angiogram to evaluate patency of the arteries. By identifying those patients at high risk, an CT study will allow steps to be taken so that the risk of a heart attack will be minimized or eliminated. Coronary artery disease can be treated, but FIRST you have to know

The importance of developing a diagnostic test to identify individuals who are at risk of cardiovascular disease has been one of the most important priorities for medical professionals throughout the world.

With major killers like heart attacks and strokes, the first symptom is most likely death.