Should You Get a Routine Heart Scan?

Heart health is paramount to living a full and vibrant life. The good news is there are preventive measures that can safeguard your cardiovascular well-being. Advancements such as calcium heart scans provide valuable insights into your heart's condition. 

In this blog, George Chrysant, M.D., an interventional cardiologist and the chief medical officer with INTEGRIS Health Cardiovascular Physicians at the INTEGRIS Health Heart Hospital, delves into the intricacies of this diagnostic procedure and its potential benefits.

What is a calcium heart scan?

Why it matters: A calcium heart scan is a painless test that spots calcium buildup in your heart's arteries, checking for heart disease risk. 

A heart scan uses a computed tomography (CT) scan, which is a specialized X-ray machine that takes detailed pictures (cross-sectional images) of the heart.

• The patient will lie down on their back during the scan and may be asked to hold their breath for a few seconds to reduce motion blur.
• The scan takes about five minutes to complete.
• Upon completion, an initial score is calculated based on the presence of calcium deposits in the coronary arteries.
• A radiologist or cardiologist will then interpret the results and discuss the findings with you.

“Coronary artery calcium scoring is a valuable tool for assessing risk and, in many instances, guiding therapy,” says Chrysant. “There is robust data to back this. However, it does not demonstrate actual coronary artery stenosis and is not the same thing as a coronary artery CT angiogram which shows the actual coronary arteries and can demonstrate stenosis.” 

At INTEGRIS Health Heart Hospital, our heart scan creates 4-D images of your heart and coronary arteries, providing a precise measure of calcium deposits. 

Our heart scans are offered at a variety of locations:

• INTEGRIS Health Heart Hospital at Baptist Medical Center
• INTEGRIS Health Edmond Hospital
• INTEGRIS Health Enid Hospital
• INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center Portland Avenue
• INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center
• INTEGRIS Health Grove Hospital
• INTEGRIS Health Miami Hospital

Learn more: A heart scan at INTEGRIS Health requires no injections, no dyes, no fasting and no referral. Call 405-951-5000 or make a request to schedule your heart scan now. 

What does a heart scan show?

What it shows: Calcium deposits form due to cholesterol buildup over time. These hardened deposits turn into plaque, narrowing arteries and limiting blood flow to the heart muscle. A higher calcium score indicates a greater likelihood of significant plaque buildup and increased risk of cardiovascular issues.
Calcium deposits, called calcifications, are markers of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup) in the arteries supplying the heart.

• The more arterial plaque a person has, the more narrow blood vessels become.
• Narrowing of arteries increases the risk of blood flow being cut off to the heart.
• Prolonged reduced blood flow can result in damage to the heart muscle, leading to serious complications such as a heart attack.

Doctors use heart scan results to identify people who may benefit from preventive medications such as statins, a group of drugs that lower blood cholesterol.

• An abnormal heart scan may also motivate people to make lifestyle changes, such as modifying diet or adding more exercise to their routine.

What do the results mean?

The bottom line: The Agatston score measures calcified plaque in your heart's arteries seen during a calcium heart scan. It grades the severity from low to high calcification levels. Higher scores mean higher heart disease risk. Health care providers use this score to guide care plans for patients' heart health.

Calcium heart scan scores usually fall under one of four categories used to represent the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries:

• No plaque (score of 0) indicates minimal to no calcifications in the coronary arteries.
• Mild (1 to 99) suggests early signs of potential heart disease.
• Moderate (100 to 399) indicates a moderate risk.
• Severe (400 or higher) signifies a significant risk of heart disease and potential cardiac events.

Who can benefit from a heart scan?

The big picture: People who have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as a family history of heart problems, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a sedentary lifestyle, should consider getting a calcium heart scan. 

Our heart experts at INTEGRIS Health recommend a heart scan if you’re over 40 and have two or more of the following risk factors:

• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Family history of heart disease
• Poor diet

Is it helpful for everyone?

What to know: While a calcium heart scan is beneficial for people at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, it may not be necessary for those with a low risk. Consulting with a health care provider can help determine if a calcium heart scan is appropriate based on individual health circumstances and needs.

The American Heart Association doesn’t recommend routine screening for people who don’t have symptoms of heart disease and have a low risk of heart attacks.

• The one caveat is if you have a strong family history of premature coronary heart disease.
• Further, a heart scan won’t provide any new information if you’ve already had a heart attack, coronary bypass surgery or a coronary stent.

Research of calcium heart scan results has also revealed the test isn’t the best benchmark for younger people and people who have artery obstruction.

• Heart scan scores might not always detect hidden risks in younger adults, giving a false sense of security.
• In younger people, not all cholesterol plaques have become calcified, so the scan may not reveal all potential issues.

Final thoughts: Getting a calcium heart scan provides valuable insights for assessing heart disease risk and early detection of calcifications. This enables personalized care plans and proactive measures for maintaining heart health. Contact your primary care physician or cardiologist to decide if a heart scan is right for you.