Your Doctor Just Might Be a Gol-Darn Fool If . . .

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy . . . your doctor just might be a gol-darn fool if he or she still does not believe in the predictive power of heart scans. The latest piece of evidence, found in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is based on data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Researcher Dr. Aaron Folsom remarks "our data suggest that in asymptomatic 45- to 84-year-old US adults, CAC score may be the better choice over IMT." This is a powerful statement as IMT or CIMT (Carotid Intima Media Thickness) as it is sometimes known, has long been an acknowledged "gold standard" for judging global heart attack risk by the American Heart Association (AHA), National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), and in the widely heralded ATP-III report.

So, if you are a 45 to 85 year old US adult and your doc gives you any heat about using heart scans to quantify your heart attack risk, look them in the eye and say, "SEE YOU LATER FOOL," and calmly walk out the door - then find a doc who is not just another gol-darn fool.

Oh and by the way if they should ask for more proof than just this study, smack 'em with these studies as well

Raggi P, Gongora MC, Gopal A, et al. Coronary artery calcium to predict all-cause mortality in elderly men and women. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008; 52:17-23.

Detrano R, Guerci AD, Carr JJ, et al. Coronary calcium as a predictor of coronary events in four racial or ethnic groups. N Engl J Med 2008; 358:1336-1345.

Weintraub WS and Diamond GA. Predicting cardiovascular events with coronary calcium scoring. N Engl J Med 2008; 358:1394-1396. (Note this is a comment that shows how even traditionalists are starting to face the truth)


As Bugs Bunny might say, "What's up doc!"


HeartHawk