Gary Hill and Darrell Reed showed no obvious signs of heart distress. A quick, noninvasive test told a different story, and the subsequent treatment may have saved both of their lives.

University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute offers a screening test called cardiac CT imaging for coronary artery calcium scoring. This test has been shown to predict future risk of heart attack. While coronary artery scoring is costly at other health systems and generally not covered by insurance, UH offers the test at no cost.

The low dose CT scan is performed without an intravenous line and measures the amount of calcium that has accumulated in the walls of the coronary arteries. This provides what is termed a “coronary artery calcium score” to help interpret your risk level.

Calcium score testing is recommended for men and women age 45 or older, with no history of coronary artery disease, and with one or more risk factors for heart disease, including:

• High blood cholesterol
• Low HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”)
• High blood pressure
• Cigarette smoking
• Type 2 diabetes
• Family history of heart disease at age 55 or younger in men and 65 or younger in women
• Chronic inflammatory condition (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, HIV/AIDS)
• Female conditions such as preeclampsia or early menopause (younger than 40)
• Chronic kidney disease

Learn how you can schedule your calcium score test today.