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What tests are there for determining if you have clogged arteries?
Are there any non-invasive,simple tests, to determine if you are in danger of severely clogged arteries,which could lead to a fatal massive heart attack?
Not to be critical as I beleive Lutheran meant to say cath angiogram. Both cath or CT angiogram use contract dye to view perfusion, and that procedure is the definition of angiogram.
A CT scan 64/128 views the anatomy of the 4 main heart vessels and will show any soft plaque between the linings of the vessel as well as any plaque buildup in the lumen. The cath angiogram views the lumen for the plaque that narrows and obstructs blood flow causing angina (chest pain). The soft plaque is the greatest risk for a heart attack as there is a probility of that plaque rupturing the inner lining of the vessel causing a heart attack.
A CT scan 64/128 views the anatomy of the 4 main heart vessels and will show any soft plaque between the linings of the vessel as well as any plaque buildup in the lumen. The cath angiogram views the lumen for the plaque that narrows and obstructs blood flow causing angina (chest pain). The soft plaque is the greatest risk for a heart attack as there is a probility of that plaque rupturing the inner lining of the vessel causing a heart attack.
CT scan of the heart is non-invasive , its a 64/128 slice look at your heart's artery's and is almost as accurate as an angiogram.
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The best place to start would be a nuclear stress test. It will show any ares of your heart that are not getting sufficient blood flow due to possible blocked arteries. These tests are 85 - 90% accurate and minimally invasive.
Hope this helps,
Jon
Hope this helps,
Jon
I know there are the invasive ones such as a cardiac cath, as far as non-invasive, I think that possibly an ECHOCARDIOGRAM can show some blockage, also, I think an MRI can as well.
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