HeartScore Brochure for Physicians 

"A cardiovascular event must be regarded as a medical failure rather than the first indication for treatment."

William B. Kannel, MD
Principal Investigator, Framingham Heart Study

HeartScore

A new paradigm for the prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) through the diagnosis and management of coronary atherosclerosis. HeartScoresm is the convergence of two innovative scientific breakthroughs.

• Electron beam, or UltraFast CT scanning.
• New cholesterol lowering therapy with statins.

For the first time, patients at risk of CHD can accurately measure their coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden. Physicians can then integrate this vital information into their diagnostic and therapeutic programs when assessing patients with real or suspected CHD.

How valuable is a preventive care program that gives physicians new and accurate information regarding their patients’ coronary artery status?

The National Institutes of Health (in describing their landmark $54 million study of subclinical cardiovascular disease) stated that,

“Coronary calcium quantified by electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) has a correlation of 0.90 or greater with regards to histological coronary plaque area. EBCT identifies persons with 5- to 20-fold increased risk for coronary heart disease events, and is thus the best available noninvasive technique for quantifying subclinical coronarys atherosclerosis.”

How does the HeartScoresm center help physicians provide better care than ever before?

Because most acute coronary ischemic events are caused by the rupture or erosion of moderately (between 40-60%) narrowed coronary segments, the best indicator of future risk is the total coronary plaque burden — and not the presence or absence of high grade narrowings.

HeartScoresm determines your patient’s risk based on the coronary artery calcium score — which is linearly related to plaque burden. The coronary artery calcium score is a precise and reproducible measure of total coronary plaque. Correlation studies using coronary angiography have identified specific cut points representing the degree of likelihood of functionally significant stenoses.

What can you expect when you refer a patient to the HeartScore center?

1. A detailed analysis of your patient’s cardiac risk factors.

2. An EBCT scan that is performed in approximately 5 minutes, is painless, requires no disrobing, and delivers a radiation dose equivalent to a standard abdominal series (significantly less than conventional CT studies). The EBCT scan will document:

a) The coronary calcium score for each coronary artery.
b) The distribution of plaque in each coronary artery.
c) The total coronary calcium score.

3. A complete report detailing the following:

a) Component and total coronary calcium scores.
b) Age/sex percentile for your patient’s score.
c) Coronary age.
d) Future risk.
e) Risk factor analysis results.
f) Framingham 10 year predicted risk.
g) Correlation between HeartScore scan risk and Framingham risk.
h) Complete discussion of the above.
i) Recommendations (further testing, lifestyle, medications, follow-up scans). With your patient’s HeartScore report, you will be better prepared to make recommendations concerning medical treatment for high cholesterol; you will be better prepared to evaluate chest pain symptoms; and over time you will be able to track the progression or regression of coronary plaque. You will feel the satisfaction of knowing that your patient’s chances of avoiding symptomatic CHD will have improved dramatically.

Why is the HeartScore electron beam CT scanner such a powerful tool?

1. EBCT was approved by the FDA in 1988 and since then has been used to diagnose coronary atherosclerosis in thousands of patients.

2. EBCT is 10 times faster than conventional CT scanning, and creates highly reproducible images of coronary calcium.

3. The quantity of coronary calcium is linearly related to the quantity of coronary atherosclerosis.

4. The quantity of coronary atherosclerosis predicts risk for CHD events.

5. EBCT reveals CHD in asymptomatic patients.

6. Most plaque ruptures occur in segments of the artery that are less than 50% narrowed.

7. EBCT is the only noninvasive test that can identify areas of even minimal narrowing.

8. EBCT can identify patients who would most benefit from aggressive risk factor modification.

9. EBCT presents the patient with an actual image of coronary plaque. Patients are far more likely to seriously follow a risk reduction program when they can see plaque and track plaque over time.

10. EBCT can document whether a patient is being treated aggressively enough — by showing progression, stabilization, or regression of coronary calcium scores.

Key indicators your patient is a HeartScore candidate

1. Has a strong family history of heart disease.
2. Has a history of high blood pressure.
3. Complains of atypical chest pains.
4. Has diabetes.
5. Has high cholesterol levels and is resistant to taking cholesterol lowering medication.
6. Has borderline cholesterol levels, and is a candidate for lipid lowering therapy.
7. Voices concerns about heart disease.
8. Has low HDL levels.
9. Is a current or prior smoker.
10. Is 44-65 years old.
11. Is embarking on a new exercise program.
12. Has equivocal stress test results.

Diagnostic Sensitivity

How will HeartScore benefit your practice?

The HeartScore Program will:

• Identify which of your patients would benefit most from aggressive risk factor management.
  
• Help you determine the significance of various chest pain syndromes.
  
• Help you succeed in getting your patients to make appropriate lifestyle changes.
  
• Reduce non-compliance with medications directed at lowering cardiac risk.
  
• Provide you with preventive care materials that will be viewed favorably by your patients.
  
• Provide you with extensive data on your patients’ results and the results derived from our entire database of patients.

In the world of coronary heart disease, the stakes are high. It is our obligation to provide our patients the very best preventive treatment available - before a cardiovascular event occurs.

The HEARTSCORE center delivers an unrivaled opportunity inprocative preventive CHD disease control.