Guest: Thomas C. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D.
Host: Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D.
Coronary artery calcification (CAC) scanning may also help enhancing our evaluation of the danger of coronary heart assault or stroke in thoughtfully chosen sufferers. Not everybody wants a CAC scan! The outcomes of a CAC scan will be significantly useful in deciding whether or not a affected person ought to begin drugs to cut back their danger. Coronary artery calcium scanning is *not* used to observe a affected person’s danger over time (to see whether or not the danger is lowering or rising).
Topics Discussed:
• How is a coronary artery calcification (CAC) scan achieved, and what can the outcomes inform us a few affected person’s cardiovascular danger and administration?
• Who ought to contemplate having a CAC scan? Should a affected person focus on the opportunity of a CAC scan with their physician, and may they only self-refer to a screening heart?
• What adjustments can we make in affected person administration based mostly on CAC scan findings?
• How ought to we monitor whether or not the administration is enhancing the affected person’s cardiovascular danger? How typically ought to a CAC scan be achieved?
