EBT Calcium Scan

Alzheimer's, cardiovascular, and other chronic diseases; biomarkers, lifestyle, supplements, drugs, and health care.
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Stavia
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by Stavia »

You guys probably don't know that it's not as simple as 1. Find a blockage 2. Put in a stent 3. Voila life saved and we walk off into the sunset.

I was actually quite disturbed at the message of The Widowmaker movie last year. I said so to the lady who spear headed it and she shrugged and said yes she knows the message wasn't quite accurate but they wanted to tell a story.
I guess a story of "my life was saved" is a better one than " I had to decide about medical theraoy versus an invasive procedure with a 0.5 to 1% risk of stroke"

The thing is........it well may be that maximal medical therapy (aspirin betablocker statin) has the same outcomes in terms of death or heart attack as a stent or bypass. Its a complex issue. Older data suggests this is true. Not for everyone but for many.........so why do cardiologists immediately rush in with a stent like a knight on a white horse and collect the accolades? Because they can. Because the patient knows they can. Because both are scared not to. Because money. Because litigation.
http://interventions.onlinejacc.org/mob ... id=1758481
Here is a recent discussion. We are awaiting more data.

There is no doubt stents save lives DURING a heart attack. There is no doubt coronary calcium scans are fabulous in identifying risk in asymptotic people.
But extrapolating from there is not that simple.
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Tincup
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by Tincup »

Stavia wrote:You guys probably don't know that it's not as simple as 1. Find a blockage 2. Put in a stent 3. Voila life saved and we walk off into the sunset.
My mindset about EBCT scans is a little different. 1. Oops I have significant calcium. 2. Do what I can to limit annual increase to < 15% in my CAC score (per Raggi study. 3. If successful, continue for rest of life 4. If not successful, consider medical/surgical options...
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Stavia
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by Stavia »

Yip George you are very sensible.
But the movie was skewed.
And many people have the wrong idea.
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KatieS
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by KatieS »

I regret that my husband did not want to see the Widowmaker, only to have the real widowmaker three months later. So after his event, we saw this anti-stent film which in the circumstance of an isolated blocked LAD was lifesaving, probably not otherwise. Surprisingly he had minimal calcified plaque in his arteries, like his brother only in the LAD. So interpretation of the score should take these calcium chunks into account.
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ru442
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

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Stavia wrote:Because money. Because litigation.
^^^ This is America in a nutshell.... there is always some one else to blame but yourself!
Male 4/4 56 yrs., "Live, Laugh, Love"
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SusanJ
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

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Or free meals...I'd put in laughing face but it's really not all that funny.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/even-cheap- ... 1466434801
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Julie G
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by Julie G »

FWIW, a member at HeartLifeTalk.com actually produced that award winning film to spread the message that EBT scans are readily available, under utilized, and can be informative about an otherwise (too often) silent disease process. In many respects, he was successful in spreading that message. I agree that the stent "solution" at the end was unfortunate and potentially misleading. I think most of our members get how complicated this is... but maybe not?

I recently had an interesting conversation with Dean Ornish about EBTs. He found them to be essentially useless especially at my age- 54 y/o. He said I was MUCH more likely to have soft plaque that would only be visible by a CT scan. He even gave me a low radiation location for his preferred test in the SFO area. I respectfully disagree with Dr. Ornish in that a positive EBT can be very telling, but none of us should assume that a zero score guarantees a complete lack of the CAD process. In some, it simply means that your soft plaque hasn't calcified yet. It's important to keep results in perspective.
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cdamaden
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by cdamaden »

Julie - that raises the question, is there a one-stop shop to get a true picture of your coronary plaque? It would seem that a few bright people would have all the necessary tests available instead of piecemeal efforts.
Chris
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Stavia
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by Stavia »

Yup Chris its an angiogram
Invasive and has a risk of stroke.
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cdamaden
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Re: EBT Calcium Scan

Post by cdamaden »

Thanks, Stavia - Sorry for not being clear, I was actually not looking for one test but for one location that does the necessary battery of (non-invasive/low-risks) tests needed.
Chris
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