298
Views
9
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Themed Article: Cardiac Imaging & Diagnostic Techniques - Reviews

Role of coronary artery calcium in cardiovascular risk assessment

, &
Pages 87-94 | Published online: 18 Dec 2013
 

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite many advances in prevention and therapy for CAD, a third to one-half of cardiovascular events occur in those with no prior symptoms. Assessing subclinical disease using coronary artery calcium (CAC) has been shown to provide additional risk stratification and to improve prediction of cardiovascular events over traditional strategies such as the Framingham Risk Score. In this review, we aim to cover the current data available on utilization of CAC as a tool in the general population as well as in targeted subgroups such as those with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. For this review, the authors performed thorough Pubmed and Medline searches using keywords coronary artery calcification, X-ray computed tomography, multidetector computed tomography, CAD, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. Based on the authors’ review of literature, they believe that CAC is an excellent risk stratification imaging modality, especially in patients with diabetes and metabolic syndrome; behavioral changes in patients and therapeutic interventions based on CAC scoring are cost-effective.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

ND Wong is a consultant for Re-Engineering Healthcare, Inc. and receives research funding through the University of California, CA, USA from Bristol Myers-Squibb. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

  • A third to a half of all cardiovascular disease-related events occur in people with no prior symptoms.

  • Diabetes is considered a coronary artery disease (CAD) equivalent when estimating risk for future CAD events; however people with diabetes represent a spectrum of risk for CAD.

  • Coronary artery calcium scoring provides additional risk stratification and improve prediction of cardiovascular events over traditional risk stratification strategies.

  • Coronary artery calcium further stratifies patients with diabetes and metabolic syndrome to determine appropriate intensity of therapeutic approaches.

Notes

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 99.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 611.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable
 

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.