Five simple medical tests together provide a broader and more accurate assessment of heart-disease risk than currently used methods, cardiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center found.
Five simple medical tests together provide a broader and more accurate assessment of heart-disease risk than currently used methods, cardiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center found.
Combined, results from the five tests – an EKG, a limited CT scan, and three blood tests – better predict who will develop heart disease compared with standard strategies that focus on blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking history, researchers reported.
“This set of tests is really powerful in identifying unexpected risk among individuals with few traditional risk factors. These are people who would not be aware that they are at risk for heart disease and might not be targeted for preventive therapies,” said Dr. James de Lemos, Professor of Internal Medicine.
Read more at UT Southwestern Medical Center
Image: Cardiologists Dr. James de Lemos (left) and Dr. Amit Khera (right) review a printout from an EKG and a calcium scan, two of five tests they demonstrated could improve risk assessment for heart disease. (Credit: UT Southwestern)
