Heart Scan (Calcium Scoring) is one of the most advanced methods available today to detect heart disease in its earliest stages. Heart disease is often asymptomatic with sudden death. There is no better time than now to prevent them. Heart disease is a common name for "coronary artery disease" (CAD). This condition is the end result of a progressive hardening of the arteries, a process in which arteries become clogged and prevent oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart. Over time, deposits of cholesterol and other substances build up along vessel walls and become calcified. Blood flow slows until blood clot forms, completely sealing off the passage of blood to the heart. This is when a heart attack occurs.

The earliest indication of heart disease is calcification in the coronary arteries. Calcium scoring uses noninvasive, high-speed computerized tomography (CT) to scan the heart and detect calcium deposits along the walls of arteries. The test then produces a calcium score that identifies your level of deposits. Taking in other factors such as age, family history and cholesterol level, your doctor uses that score to measure your potential for heart disease. Some factors that could increase your risk for heart disease include the following:

	You are male and over 45 years old.
	You are a female over 55 years old or you have passed menopause or had your ovaries removed and are not taking estrogen.
	Your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55 or your mother or sister had one before the age of 65.
	You smoke or you live/work with someone who smokes daily.
	You have a cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or higher.
	You've been told your blood pressure is high.
	You do not exercise on a regular basis for at least 30 minutes.
	You're 20 pounds or more overweight.
	You have diabetes or need medicine to control your blood sugar.

You should take measures to live healthy even if your score is negative. Calcium Scoring can predict risk for most people, but not all. With that in mind, you can make lifestyle changes to ensure your health in the years to come.

	Maintain a healthy weight.
	Exercise on a regular basis for at least 30 consecutive minutes.
	Quit smoking.
	Eat a diet low in saturated fats, limiting butter and red meat, as well as fried foods.
	Reduce your stress level since anger and hostility can increase your risk for CAD.
	Visit your doctor annually for check-ups and cholesterol testing.

The results of your test will give you peace of mind, since early detection is key to prevention. Considering over half the people who die suddenly of heart disease had no symptoms, what you know today can help you live a better tomorrow.

If your score does indicate a risk for heart disease, your doctor can recommend drug therapies or lifestyle modifications to help slow the progression of the disease. Be sure to consult your doctor to find out the correct treatment for you.

Please call our Freehold location at (732) 462-1900 to schedule your Heart Scan (Calcium Scoring).