CT screening finds more at high heart risk

DALLAS, May 27 (UPI) -- Using computed tomography to scan hearts for calcium deposits and blockages could screen more people at high risk for heart disease, U.S. researchers say.

Researchers using data from the University of Texas Southwestern-led Dallas Heart study find that the additional imaging proposed by the Screening for Heart Attack Prevention and Education -- SHAPE -- task force increases the number of patients classified at "high risk."

SHAPE was updated by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III in 2004.

"We found that by applying SHAPE recommendations compared with the current guidelines there was a 27 percent relative increase in the proportion of patients who would need lipid-lowering therapy," senior author Dr. James de Lemos says in a statement.

"We found that for every seven people who had calcium imaging, one needed to readjust cholesterol goals to lower levels."

Coronary calcium scans use computerized tomography to scan the heart and look for calcium deposits and blockages. The risk of coronary heart disease increases with higher calcium scores, the researchers say.

The findings are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.