Matters of the Heart and Calcium Scan
by: Joe Ramirez
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Word Count: 502
There has been a lot of hue and cry over the introduction of calcium scans in the country. Yet a large number of people are still unaware of what coronary calcium scan basically is and how can it prove beneficial for them?
Coronary Calcium Scan
A coronary calcium scan basically can be defined as a medical test which can help an individual to determine whether they are suffering from any possible coronary artery disease or not. Coronary artery diseases are also known as CAD. It is basically a situation where a fatty layer of plaque and calcium gets deposited on the walls of arteries of the heart. This accumulation of fatty layer ends up limiting the blood flow to the heart thus, giving way to further cardiovascular-related complications.
Calcium Buildup
Calcium build up is a situation which can affect both men and women, once they hit the middle age. Several heart related complications, such as heart attack, angina, and arrhythmia can occur in an individual in case the high calcium score is not checked in time.
Importance of Calcium Scan
A typical coronary calcium scan helps to look for traces of calcium deposits which may be present on walls of the arteries. This deposition or calcium build up in an individual is also known as calcification. Calcification can help an individual to detect the early signs of a possible heart attack. People who are generally at a moderate risk of heart attack can benefit the most from getting a calcium scan done. It is easy to measure up the risk which an individual may be facing with the help of calcium scans and what proper medical steps should be taken in order to avoid this situation.
More about the Scanning Machine
It has been reported that people who are at a moderate risk of heart attack are most likely to suffer from a heart attack within the next ten years.
- The machine which is used to detect the calcium score in an individual comprises of two parts. These two parts are known as the “electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).
- This calcium test makes use of a peculiar kind of x-ray machine which can be used to extract in-depth and detailed pictures of the inner walls of the arteries and the heart.
- These pictures are what allow the doctors to see and determine whether an individual is at an increased risk of heart attack or not in the next few years.
Undergoing a calcium scan can be extremely easy and quick for the patient. All that the individuals need to do is to lie under the scanner machine for a few minutes, till the x-ray machine is able to take pictures of the inner walls of the heart and determine whether the inner walls of the heart have deposits of calcium or not.
About the Author
If you want to know in detail regarding the functioning of calcium scan machine or to educate yourself on how to prepare for the calcium test, do refer to this site. This website provides endless information regarding the medications to reduce the calcium score.
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