CT scan may be better at predicting heart disease than genetics, researchers say
BOSTON - A common imaging scan may be better at gauging your risk for heart disease than your underlying genetics. This came as a surprise to researchers.
It's important to know who is at highest risk of heart disease so that measures can be taken to reduce that risk. Because heart disease runs in families, doctors were hoping that knowing a patient's genetics might be the key to identifying those at highest risk.
But a team at Northwestern University looked at more than 3,000 adults and compared their genetics to CT scans that look for coronary artery calcium which has been associated with blockages. They found that the CT scans were superior to genetics at predicting heart disease risk in middle-aged patients.
They said CT screening should be offered for middle-aged patients whose risk is unclear to identify those who could benefit from risk reduction like cholesterol-lowering medications or dietary changes.