Coronary artery calcium is a strong predictor of future coronary events

Last Updated: 2001-07-09 12:42:04 EDT (Reuters Health)

WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) – Evidence from a new study in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, adds to the findings of other studies that indicate coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a strong predictor of future cardiac events.

Using electron beam tomography, Dr. Matthew J. Budoff from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, and colleagues assessed CAC in 192 patients admitted to an emergency department for chest pain. These patients were followed for an average of 50 months, the researchers note.

During follow-up, 58 patients had coronary events, the researchers report. Increasing CAC scores, they found, were strongly related to the occurrence of myocardial infarction and death, as well as to other cardiovascular events. In addition, when patients were stratified by age and gender, the prognostic ability of CAC was further increased.

Dr. Budoff and colleagues note that "the absence of CAC is associated with a very low risk of future cardiac risk events in this population over the subsequent 7 years (annual event rate <1%)." The researchers therefore believe their findings support the notion that electron beam tomography can be used to quickly discharge patients with negative CAC scans.

J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;38:105-110.

-Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700

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