Early Detection of Heart Attack through Coronary Calcification Measurement

After coronary heart disease, the most frequent cause of death in Germany is still a heart attack.  The number of heart attacks has starkly increased in the last few years.
Very often a heart attack strikes without any warning, while coronary heart disease nearly always exists long before; it is "dormant" and does not often manifest itself through symptoms like pain.
Heart attacks can be avoided through timely precaution, recognition of risk factors and subsequent preventive treatment.

• What risk factors are there?
• When is a coronary calcification measurement motivated?
• How is the coronary calcification measurement done?
• What do I feel during the examination?
• What happens after the examination?
• How do the advantages compare to the risks?

 

• smoking
• elevated cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• diabetis
• occurance of heart attacks in the family (genetic factors)

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The risk of heart attack rises with increasing age, in men as of 40, in women as of 50.
Should you experience one or more of the above risk factors, it is essential to undergo a coronary calcification measurement with computer tomography.

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During the examination you will be cared for by our experienced CT team, which will be in contact with you via intercom, installed in the device.  The examination team can see you at all times.
The x-ray technician positions the patient comfortably on the examination table and puts on the EKG.
The patient will be inserted into the examination device headfirst.  An examination usually takes about 15 minutes.

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The CT scan is completely painless, and our state-of-the-art technology allows us to keep examination time to a minimum.

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The radiologist assesses the scanned images at a special workstation and creates a report of the results.
Since the assessment of the examination is extensive, the results are not immediately communicated. A new appointment should be made for a personal discussion with the physician.

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Advantages: The coronary calcification measurement provides the exact extent of the calcification and so enables accurate results as to the degree of arterial-sclerosis modifications present in the arteries.  With these, the degree of risk of the occurrence of a heart attack in the following 3 to 5 years can be predicted.  Precautionary treatment can be introduced for high-risk patients.  If there is no increased risk, an ?unnecessary? treatment may be avoided.

Risks: During each CT scan the patient is exposed to radiation.  Through state-of-the-art technology, this risk is kept to the minimum.

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