To determine if you should begin receiving routine heart scans, it is important to understand what it is that a heart scan does. There are many factors that people should consider before determining if they need a heart scan on a routine basis. There are several scanning centers in the Portland area that provide this and other services to interested patients.
A heart scan detects and measures the amount of calcium present on artery walls. When there is calcium on the artery walls, it could indicate that the patient has coronary artery disease, a serious condition that would require subsequent visits to a family doctor or specialist. This is one of the leading causes of heart attacks and should be recognized and treated as soon as possible.
When plaque builds up on artery walls and narrows the arteries, coronary artery disease is present. While the plaque is composed of fat, cholesterol and calcium, a heart scan detects only the calcium. When a physician determines the amount of calcium in the patient?s arteries, they are able to determine the chances of that patient developing coronary artery disease or having a heart attack.
With the purpose of a heart scan laid out, patients should now determine if a routine heart scan is necessary. To do this, patients should determine their risk of heart attack or heart disease. Patients should consult with their doctor, as several physicians in the Portland area will be of assistance.
If a patient is at low risk of having a heart attack in the next 10 or so years, then a heart scan may not tell the patient or doctor anything that they did not already know. People who do not smoke, are under 55 years of age, have normal cholesterol levels and normal blood pressure levels are generally not at risk of heart attack.
On the contrary, if a patient is at high risk of having a heart attack, a routine heart scan may not be useful in telling the patient or their doctor anything they did not already know either. Also, if a patient has a history of heart attack or has undergone an angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery, a heart scan may not be useful in turning up any new information about the patient.
So who exactly would routine heart scans serve best? The answer is those who are at an intermediate risk of having a heart attack. People who are between 55 and 65 years of age and who have borderline cholesterol and blood pressure levels should see a doctor to determine their risk and whether routine heart scans are right for them. Also, patients of this age who smoke should also consider routine heart scans.
As always, the best way to determine if routine heart scans are right for you is to consult your doctor and consider your personal risk level. If you determine that routine heart scans are necessary, there are several scanning centers in the Portland area that are there to help.
Learn more about routine heart scans in Beaverton, Oregon.
