Healthy Aging Month: Supporting Heart Health with Preventive Screenings and Calcium Scoring

You can’t avoid birthdays, but you can give yourself every opportunity to stay healthy, active, and independent for years to come.

It all starts with prevention.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, yet it often develops silently over many years. Plaque can gradually build inside your coronary arteries without causing noticeable symptoms, making it difficult to know what’s happening based on how you feel alone.

That’s why preventive screenings are so important. At Invision Sally Jobe, we provide advanced imaging services throughout the greater Denver, Colorado, area that help you and your healthcare provider identify potential health concerns early. 

One valuable tool for assessing cardiovascular risk in appropriate patients is a coronary artery calcium (CAC) screening.

Prevention begins before symptoms do

Many people think about heart health only after experiencing chest pain or another warning sign. The best time to think about it is much earlier.

Regular exercise, a heart-healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and avoiding tobacco all play important roles in protecting your heart. 

Routine visits with your primary care provider help monitor these risk factors and identify changes before they lead to more serious problems.

For some people, imaging provides another valuable piece of the puzzle.

What is a coronary artery calcium screening?

A coronary artery calcium screening is a specialized CT scan that looks for tiny deposits of calcium within your coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart.

Calcium is a marker of atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup inside the artery walls.

The scan itself is quick, noninvasive, and doesn’t require contrast dye. Using the images, a radiologist calculates your coronary artery calcium score, which estimates the amount of calcified plaque present.

Your healthcare provider then interprets that score alongside other important factors, including your age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes status, smoking history, and family history of heart disease. 

The calcium score doesn’t replace those traditional risk factors; it adds another layer of information to help paint a clearer picture of your overall cardiovascular risk.

Who benefits most from a calcium score?

A coronary artery calcium screening isn’t recommended for everyone, but it can be especially helpful for adults who don’t have symptoms of heart disease but whose future cardiovascular risk isn’t entirely clear.

For example, your healthcare provider may recommend a calcium score if you have elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of heart disease, or other factors that place you somewhere between low and high cardiovascular risk.

The results may help guide decisions about preventive care, including whether lifestyle changes alone are appropriate or whether medications such as statins should become part of your long-term plan.

It’s equally important to understand what a calcium score is not designed to do. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or other signs that could suggest heart disease, your provider will likely recommend a different type of evaluation.

Preventive imaging is part of healthy aging

Heart health is just one piece of staying well as you age. Depending on your age, medical history, and individual risk factors, your provider may recommend other preventive imaging studies as well.

At Invision Sally Jobe, we offer a wide range of screening services, including:

• Coronary artery calcium screening to help assess cardiovascular risk
• Screening mammography for the early detection of breast cancer
• Lung cancer screening for eligible individuals with a significant smoking history
• DEXA bone density testing to evaluate osteoporosis risk
• CT colonography for appropriate colorectal cancer screening

Each test serves a different purpose, but they all support the same goal: detecting potential health concerns before they become more serious.

Knowledge is one of your best preventive tools

You can’t control every risk factor for heart disease. But you can make informed decisions based on accurate information.

For the right person, a coronary artery calcium screening offers valuable insight that can help guide conversations about long-term heart health. Combined with regular medical care and healthy lifestyle choices, it can play an important role in a proactive approach to aging well.

As September is Healthy Aging Month, take a proactive step toward protecting your heart. If your healthcare provider recommends a coronary artery calcium screening, trust our experienced team at Invision Sally Jobe. 

To schedule an appointment in Aurora, Golden, Littleton, Lone Tree, Parker, or Denver, Colorado, call us at 720-493-3700. We’re here when you need us, providing high-quality imaging in a comfortable outpatient setting.