Health
Heart calcium scans offer limited benefit for general population, study finds
ScienceDaily reports that coronary calcium scans provide little added predictive value over standard assessments for most adults.
The short version
- A 10-year study of more than 6,000 adults found coronary calcium scans add little to standard heart disease risk estimates overall.[ScienceDaily]
- The imaging tests provide meaningful risk predictions primarily for patients classified at borderline or intermediate risk.[ScienceDaily]
- Senior author Dr. Nilay Shah stated that not all patients require or benefit from undergoing the scan.[ScienceDaily]
Key facts
- A 10-year study examining over 6,000 adults determined that coronary calcium scans add limited value to standard cardiovascular risk tools overall.[ScienceDaily]
- Calcium scans proved beneficial for clarifying cardiovascular disease risk among borderline or intermediate-risk individuals.[ScienceDaily]
- The research was published in JAMA on August 26.[ScienceDaily]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Who really needs a heart calcium scan?ScienceDaily - Health