Cardiac Scoring Test

A regular EKG reading cannot predict the future or foresee what is really happening inside your arteries. Only the Cardiac Scoring Test can measure the calcium build-up in the body’s arteries and inform you of your susceptibility to heart disease before any symptoms occur.

Many people don’t know they have heart disease until they suffer a heart attack.

That is why heart disease remains america’s no. 1 killer, claiming more lives than the rest of the major causes of death in the U.S. And, while an exercise stress test may spot trouble, it usually appears normal until
your arteries are almost 70 percent blocked – THAT’S A DANGEROUSLY LATE STAGE.

Recommended for post-menopausal women and all men over 50, the cardiac scoring test is a noninvasive procedure for those without symptoms
of heart disease that is simple, painless and quick. In fact, once you are connected to an electrocardiogram, the actual scan usually takes less than
a minute and you get your results quickly. There’s no fasting, special clothes or preparatory medications.

Here’s how it works.
By utilizing an ultra-high-speed, multi-slice CT [computed tomography] scanner, Monmouth physicians can measure the amount of calcium that has accumulated in the arteries and determine plaque buildup that, without treatment, will eventually lead to a heart attack.

Once measured, these calcium levels are turned into a numerical score that
can range from:

• 0, for individuals who are free of calcium buildup
  
• Up to 3,000 for those whose arteries are in danger of imminent blockage.

Our Concern for our Community.
Less than 1 percent of Monmouth County residents who should undergo a cardiac scoring test have done so. For your health or for that of a family member, let’s all work to change that.

Invest in your Good Health.
Despite their talk of preventive medicine, some health insurance plans do not cover cardiac scoring tests, so you may have to bear the $300 cost of this screening test yourself. Its benefit is well worth the price.

We have the staff and resources necessary to make sure your “ticker” always
keeps the perfect time.

DOCTOR’S ADVICE
To avoid heart disease and maintain a healthier lifestyle, we recommend you:

• Exercise regularly
• Eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer fatty foods
• Keep your cholesterol levels low
• Keep your blood-sugar levels controlled if you have diabetes
• Add antioxidants – which fight developing artery plaque – to your diet.
• Green tea is recommended for the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)

TO FIND OUT ABOUT CARDIAC SCORING TESTS AT MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER, CALL 1.888.SBHS.123