Best Heart Health Strategies

1. Listen to Your Symptoms
   If you have any symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath, see a doctor immediately even if your score is zero.
   
   
2. Context
   Consider your results in the context of all of your risk factors (global risk factor evaluation). If for example, you have no risk factors, but a very high calcium score, certain blood tests could be useful to search for damaging particles in blood like homocysteine or lipoprotein (a) to help determine the cause of "unexplained coronary calcification". We can alert you to laboratories that perform such "next generation" tests.
   
   
3. Professional Review
   Bring your results to your doctor as he/she is in the best position to understand your entire medical situation. In most cases, if you have moderate or more extensive plaque or more plaque than 75% of others your age, you should be considered for treatment with plaque stabilizing medications (statins) even if your cholesterol is average. If you have a complex cholesterol abnormality, there are lipid specialists who would be glad to consult.
   
   
4. Self Referred? Professional Review at FRPI
   If you are self-referred and wish a personalized consultation with one of our doctors to review your results, call us. It can even be prearranged to coincide with the date of your heartscan. Please bring in your last cholesterol labs (within 6 months). By comparing your healthscan report (given to you as you leave) with your heartscan results (reviewed images by our doctor), you will leave our center with a solid understanding of your risk situation and general recommendations based upon score.
   
   
5. Positive Results
   If you have a positive score, consider daily aspirin (baby or adult) if tolerated. Some people are resistant to the "anti-platelet" effects of aspirin. We can arrange a simple urine test with Colorado Coagulation Consultants to see if you are "aspirin-resistant".
   
   
6. Severe Plaque?
   If you have severe plaque (over 400) especially if you are under 65, it is advised that you visit with a preventive-oriented cardiologist who understands our EBCT test. In many cases, a stress imaging procedure will be appropriate to search for hidden narrowing. If you do not have chest pain, it is more likely than not that your stress test will be normal. A normal stress test in a patient with extensive plaque still means you are at higher risk and need medications like statins and/or ACE inhibitors.
   
   
7. Higher than Average Plaque?
   If you have more plaque than average (especially if greater than 75% for age), ask your doctor to consider getting your LDL cholesterol below 100 by a statin medication. Also inquire about ACE inhibitors (the HOPE study).
   
   

Remember: It is very helpful to look at your results in the context of all of your risk factors and relevant laboratory data…the Healthscan report (link to our healthscan section) is highly recommended at our center, so that we can compare your heartscan results to risk factor evaluation generated by traditional means. Ask about the healthscan report and onsite physician consultation at our center. In the physician's section of the website, there is more technical recommendations and guidelines information.