We can’t predict when a disease will come, especially if we talk about heart attack. Such attack can occur anytime and anywhere. Previously, there had not been a single method that could be implemented to predict the coming of a heart attack. However, according to a recent study conducted by Intermountain Healthcare Heart Institute, there is a practical way to predict the disease.

In their study, the researchers found that the presence of calcium in the coronary arteries (CAC / coronary artery calcium) can increase the risk of a heart attack. The presence of calcium can indicate the presence of atherosclerosis or plaque, which is one of the characteristics of heart disease. The presence or absence of CAC can be detected by a PET / CT scan.

The researchers observed 5547 participants who had no history of coronary artery disease. They were asked to undergo PET / CT scans to see whether or not there was CAC. The researchers found that participants who were known to contain CAC had a higher risk of heart-related diseases compared to participants who did not contain CAC. Participants with CAC were also have higher risk of coronary heart disease, revascularization surgery, and other heart-related diseases in the following years.

This discovery certainly can be used as a way to predict heart-related diseases in a person. Moreover, many of us often experience chest pain and assume that it is one of the symptoms of a heart attack. But in fact, not all patients who experience chest pain are heart attack patients.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Science Daily - Calcium in arteries is shown to increase patients’ imminent risk of a heart attack (2019). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190316162159.htm, March 21, 2019.