Discover the Benefits of Knowing Your Calcium Score
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by: Joe Ramirez
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Coronary heart scans
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the use of heart scans in the recent past. However, the common man still seems to know little about the topic. Coronary heart scans help an individual to check the level of the calcium build up in the arteries of an individual.
Accumulation of excessive calcium is known to be one of the chief causes for the atherosclerotic plaques which are found in an individual. The calcium score revealed through these tests helps to determine the increased risk of heart diseases in an individual.
Computed Tomography
- A calcium scan is also known as ultra fast CT (computed tomography) scans as they are relatively faster than the traditional scanners. These x-ray machines are used to focus on the beams of radiation on a particular part of the body so as to produce the result in the form of two-dimensional images.
- The x-ray device is used to rotate around the various body parts so as to create cross sectional images which depict as if the patients body has been sliced by the machine, in the pictures.
Calcium Tests
The arteries are responsible for supplying pure blood to the arteries. These calcium tests help to determine the total amount of calcium which is present in the walls of the coronary arteries. In a standard calcium scan, any possible traces of calcium and plaque accumulation in the arteries show up as bright spots which are white in color on the x ray images. These images are used by cardiologists to determine an individual’s calcium score and help him to guide through the proper medical treatment and lifestyle changes which need to be made.
Risk factors leading to heart disease
Some of the most popular and characterized risk factors which could lead to development of a heart disease in an individual include:
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Sedentary lifestyle or physical inactivity
- Diabetes
- Hereditary factors
Advantage of calcium scan
The best part about the calcium scan is that it is one of its kinds which do not require injection of any particular kind of needles and insertions to be made into the body of the individual. CAD or coronary heart diseases can easily be revealed with the help of a calcium scan. The simple rule to test the effectiveness is that the more the level of calcification in an individual; he will be at a greater risk of developing a heart disease in the future.
Cardiologists advise that even the most minor of the traces of calcium found in human arteries could go on to develop into severe heart diseases, which may even prove fatal for the individual. However this situation can be averted only if an individual tries to indulge in aggressive measures to stop further accumulation of calcium deposits and worsening of the situation in the future.
About the Author
People who are looking for more information on the topic can refer to scandirectory.com for a detailed description on the nature, cost, and effectiveness of calcium scans. You can also refer to various other medical articles which give information regarding the calcium score, calcium buildup and calcium test.
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