Cardiac Calcium Scoring: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Plaque that is not hard (soft plaque) cannot be found with cardiac calcium scoring. Soft plaque is the earliest form of damage to the arteries of the heart. If you have soft plaque in your arteries, the test may give normal results, but this is a false-negative result. The buildup of soft plaque can also cause a heart attack.
• Cardiac calcium scoring is not done very often because a physical examination and other tests can give information about your heart. This test may be recommended for men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older who have a higher chance of heart disease. Younger adults may be tested if they have a very strong family history of heart disease.
• If your cardiac calcium scoring shows that you have a high chance of having heart disease, you can take steps to lower your chance. Eat better, quit smoking, and get more exercise. These are the same steps your doctor would recommend after looking at your health history, your physical health, and any lab tests, such as a cholesterol test. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, talk to your health professional about your treatment choices.
• If you have an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or a heart rate higher than 90 beats per minute, you may need to take a medicine before this test to slow your heart rate.
• It is possible to have false-positive test results. This means that the test shows a high chance of blockage in the arteries of the heart when it is not true. People with a low chance of heart disease are most likely to have a false-positive test. This test is not advised for routine screening for coronary artery disease.
• Cardiac calcium scoring may not be covered by all health insurance plans.
• Cardiac calcium scoring may not be available in some areas of the United States, such as in small towns.

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Last updated:	June 19, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, George Philippides, MD - Cardiology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer