Key result
A clinical vignette discusses the appropriateness of coronary-artery calcium scanning for cardiovascular risk assessment in an asymptomatic 52-year-old man with a family history of early fatal MI.
Why the study?
Should coronary-artery calcium (CAC) screening be used in cardiovascular prevention strategies for an asymptomatic patient with a family history of premature myocardial infarction?
Case Report (n=1)
Should coronary-artery calcium (CAC) screening be used in cardiovascular prevention strategies for an asymptomatic patient with a family history of premature myocardial infarction?
This clinical vignette discusses the appropriate use of coronary-artery calcium screening for cardiovascular risk stratification in an asymptomatic patient with a family history of premature myocardial infarction.
CAC screening may refine risk stratification in select asymptomatic patients; leaves open need for RCTs to guide routine adoption.
A 52-year-old man requests a coronary-artery calcium (CAC) scan for assessment of coronary risk factors after seeing an advertisement from a local facility that offers the test. He has no symptoms of cardiac disease, has never smoked, and is not overweight, but he does not exercise regularly. His father, who was a heavy smoker, had a fatal myocardial infarction at 45 years of age. The patient's blood pressure is 130/85 mm Hg. His total cholesterol level is 220 mg per deciliter, and his low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are 160 mg per deciliter and 38 mg per deciliter, respectively. His fasting blood glucose level is 92 mg per deciliter. What would you advise regarding CAC scanning?
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Robert O. Bonow (2009) conducted a case report in Cardiovascular risk assessment (n=1). Coronary-artery calcium (CAC) scan was evaluated. A clinical vignette discusses the appropriateness of coronary-artery calcium scanning for cardiovascular risk assessment in an asymptomatic 52-year-old man with a family history of early fatal MI.
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