Blood tests measure risk factors.
That is where coronary artery calcium, or CAC, scoring can sometimes help.
Doctors may consider it when a person's cardiovascular risk is uncertain and the result could help guide preventive treatment.
The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that CAC scoring can improve risk assessment in selected people.
A zero score can be reassuring in the appropriate setting, but it does not mean that every possible heart problem has been ruled out.
Blood tests measure risk factors. They do not directly show whether plaque has already built up inside the coronary arteries.
That is where coronary artery calcium, or CAC, scoring can sometimes help. It uses a CT scan to look for calcified plaque in the heart's arteries.
It is not a test everyone needs. Doctors may consider it when a person's cardiovascular risk is uncertain and the result could help guide preventive treatment. The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that CAC scoring can improve risk assessment in selected people.
A zero score can be reassuring in the appropriate setting, but it does not mean that every possible heart problem has been ruled out.
