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High Tech Cardiac CT Scan Now Available at Oklahoma Heart Institute

What if an appointment could change your outlook on your heart health? Would you make it? Oklahoma Heart Institute is proud to offer that option to Oklahomans with the state-of-the-art Cardiac CT Scan. With heart disease the number one killer of men and women in the U.S., prevention is key to fighting heart disease.

What many people may not realize, however, is the first symptom of heart disease could be a heart attack. The Cardiac CT Scan now available at Oklahoma Heart Institute is more than 95% sensitive in detecting heart disease. Before chest pains, shortness of breath or a heart attack, this ultrafast scanner creates detailed and accurate images of the heart and arteries in just seconds. This means an earlier diagnosis is possible to treat the early signs of heart disease and prevent problems before symptoms have started.

Leading the Cardiac CT program at Oklahoma Heart Institute, Dr. Victor Cheng was recruited from Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California. With only a handful of Cardiac CT programs across the country, Oklahomans have access to expert medical staff and technology to proactively fight right here at home.

"For individuals with chest pain or breathlessness, cardiac CT is the most reliable noninvasive test to show that the person does not have significant coronary artery blockage," says Dr. Cheng. "Use of cardiac CT in this situation determines whether additional evaluation or treatment for coronary artery disease is needed."

"For both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, cardiac CT detects the presence and amount of plaque in the coronary arteries," Dr. Cheng adds.  "This information helps doctors tailor the intensity of recommended therapies to reduce heart attack risk and can motivate individuals to live a more heart-healthy lifestyle.  Absence of plaque in the coronary arteries indicates nearly zero risk of developing major heart problems for at least the next 5 years."

Who Should Have a Cardiac CT Scan?

If you are a smoker, have a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or if you are 40 or older, this test is for you. If you are concerned you are at risk and your insurance won’t cover it, this is your opportunity to know to a better than 95% accuracy if you will develop coronary heart disease and begin treatment before problems arise.

"In the asymptomatic population with risk factors, an estimated 85 to 90 percent of individuals will have either no coronary artery disease or disease without concerning blockage," says Dr. Cheng.  "For these folks, results of the cardiac CT will provide reassurance and peace of mind.  For the 10 to 15 percent of individuals in whom cardiac CT indentifies coronary artery disease with potentially significant artery blockage, the information is likely to trigger more intense medical treatment and lifestyle changes aimed at preventing heart attack in the future."