What does this research mean for the field?

Coronary computed tomographic angiography effectively identifies normal coronary arteries in the majority of patients with stable chest pain and guides targeted percutaneous intervention or statin therapy for those with coronary artery disease. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of CCTA in diagnosing CAD and its influence on management decisions for patients with stable chest pain.

March 21, 2026Open Access

Bridging Diagnosis and Prevention: The Impact of CCTA on CAD Risk Management - A Retrospective Single-Center Study

Key Result

Coronary computed tomographic angiography identified normal coronary arteries in 77% of patients and guided percutaneous intervention or statin therapy for the 23% with coronary artery disease.

Key Points

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of CCTA in diagnosing CAD and its influence on management decisions for patients with stable chest pain.
Conducted retrospective review of 417 patients undergoing CCTA from January to December 2024.
Analyzed demographics, calcium scores, CAD findings, and management outcomes.
Examined the relationship between comorbidities and CAD severity.
77% of patients had normal coronary arteries, while 23% presented with various CAD levels.
Out of patients with moderate to severe CAD, 63% required percutaneous intervention post-angiography.
66% of patients had a zero-calcium score, indicating low risk for severe CAD.
Hypertension and diabetes correlated with increased CAD severity.

Structured PICO

Does coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) impact CAD risk management and preventive strategies in patients with stable chest pain?

Population

417 patients with stable chest pain who underwent CCTA at Zayed Military Hospital, mean age 43.8 years, 90.8% male.

Intervention

Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA)

Outcome

Diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) and subsequent impact on management and preventive strategies (including invasive coronary angiography and pharmacological interventions)

CCTA serves as an effective first-line diagnostic tool for stable chest pain, safely ruling out CAD in the majority of patients while appropriately guiding invasive angiography and statin therapy in those with disease.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Objective: To assess the clinical utility of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with stable chest pain at Zayed Military Hospital, focusing on its impact on management and preventive strategies. Background: Chest pain is a common presenting symptom in hospitals. Coronary computed tomographic angiography offers an accurate, non-invasive method for diagnosing CAD in patients with low to intermediate pre-test probability. Methods: A retrospective review of all 417 patients who underwent CCTA from January to December 2024 was conducted. Demographics, calcium scores, CAD findings, comorbidities, and subsequent management, including invasive coronary angiography and pharmacological interventions, were analyzed. Results: Among the 417 patients (mean age 43.8 years; 90.8% male), 77% had normal coronary arteries, and 23% showed varying degrees of CAD. Of those with moderate to severe CAD (n = 40), 33 underwent invasive angiography, with 63% requiring percutaneous intervention. A zero-calcium score was found in 66%, with only 0.7% showing severe CAD. Hypertension and diabetes were linked to higher CAD severity. Statins were prescribed to 85% of those with mild CAD and universally to those with more advanced disease. Conclusion: CCTA is a valuable first-line diagnostic tool for stable chest pain, offering high negative predictive value and facilitating targeted preventive strategies for CAD.

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