Do CT Scans Help Prevent Heart Issues?

Computer tomography and other diagnostic tests are not more helpful than stress tests in helping treat people with coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Physicians can use a variety of non-invasive tests to evaluate patients with symptoms of CAD, including CT scans and stress tests.

“This large, randomized multicenter trial showed that coronary CT angiography did not improve clinical outcomes compared to stress testing,” said Shahryar Saba, MD, physician in the departments of cardiology and radiology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. “While this important trial reminds us that advances in imaging technology may not necessarily translate into improved patient outcomes for all, the diagnostic test of choice should be thoughtfully picked on an individual patient basis. The optimal diagnostic test for one patient may not be the same for another patient, even though they both experience the same symptom.”

Symptoms of CAD include:

• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Rapid heart beats
• Nausea
• Vomiting