Heart Screening

There are different heart screenings designed to detect potential heart issues before they occur. One of the most common is the calcium score, a specialized X-ray that provides pictures of your heart to help detect and measure plaque buildup lining the walls of your coronary arteries.

Plaque buildup narrows the arteries, restricts blood flow to the heart and ultimately can lead to a heart attack if left unchecked. By detecting plaque buildup early, your doctor can provide a treatment plan to help you reduce your chances of a heart attack or stroke.

If you are 40 years or older and are at an increased risk for heart disease, you should consider a heart screening. You are at an increased risk if you:

• Are diabetic
• Have a family history of heart disease
• Are a past or present smoker
• Have a history of high cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure
• Are overweight or lead an inactive lifestyle

We can help you manage your heart health by starting with a heart scan to detect potential issues before they happen. Plus, a heart scan can motivate you to make important lifestyle changes and follow treatment plans for a lifetime of good heart health.

A calcium score heart scan is a simple test that takes around 10-15 minutes. A technician will attach sensors, called electrodes, to your chest before the scan. These sensors connect to a device that records your heart activity and helps take X-ray pictures between heartbeats when the heart muscles are relaxed.

During the heart scan, you will lie on your back on a table that slides into a CT scanner. Your head is outside the scanner the whole time. You will lie still and hold your breath for a few seconds while the pictures are taken. After the procedure, you can drive yourself home and resume your normal activities.

Pascack Valley Medical Center offers a comprehensive cardiovascular program that provides optimal quality of care and patient safety with a wide array of preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation services in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. Our goal is to detect and treat cardiac diseases before it becomes life-threatening, and to provide services along a continuum, so that every patient’s care is fluid and streamlined.