Test for Calcium Buildup May Spot Heart Attack, Stroke Risk

[TECH NEWS]

A calcium test performed with the assistance of a CT scanner seems to provide insight into the likelihood that certain patients at moderate risk of heart problems will have a heart attack or stroke, researchers say. The test to detect coronary calcium can help physicians determine whether the patients should take cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) to reduce their cardiovascular risks, the study authors explained. At issue are people who fall into the middle area between those who are at high risk of heart problems due to factors like high blood pressure and those who are at low risk. People in the so-called “gray zone” may have risk factors, such as being overweight or having high blood sugar levels, but they aren’t considered in great danger. Not everyone needs a calcium test, said lead study author Dr. Michael J. Blaha, a cardiology fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. However, he stated in a Hopkins news release, “we believe looking for calcification in coronary vessels in certain patients makes sense in order to predict who may benefit from statin therapy, because the test gets right to the heart of the disease we want to treat.”

11/18/2011, US News and World Report