Calcification of Coronary Arteries: From Visualization to Risk Prediction and Prevention.

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) has been shown to be a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis and play an important role in predicting future cardiovascular events. With the recent advances in cardiac imaging, the quantification and visualization of vascular calcification have become possible, providing clinicians with another method of assessing the risk of cardiovascular events in addition to the other traditional risk factors. The CAC score has become a very useful tool for estimating an individual's risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack), progression of coronary artery disease, and death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent evidence has shown that CAC is a direct representation of the cumulative effects of all the atherosclerotic risk factors an individual has been exposed to, and it correlates with total plaque volume. By incorporating CAC into the clinical evaluation, it will improve the ability to predict adverse outcomes and will support the development of individualized approaches to prevention. Reduction of cardiovascular risk for patients with elevated CAC scores can be accomplished through a variety of preventive measures, including treating hyperlipidemia, controlling blood pressure, adjusting lifestyle behaviors, quitting smoking, and managing other metabolic risk factors. The shift from visualizing coronary calcifications to estimating individual risk for CVD and developing targeted prevention strategies represents a major breakthrough in preventive cardiology, as it allows for earlier intervention and greater success at improving long-term cardiovascular health. https://doi.org/10.52783/jchr.v16.i4.15476