Quick. Do you smoke? Exercise? Know your blood pressure? Your cholesterol level? Your coronary calcium score? Most people have never heard of it, but a coronary calcium score could tell them more about their risk of developing heart disease than the answers to any of the other questions. A coronary calcium score is not only a measure of risk but also a gauge of early disease, say researchers. It directly counts the fatty plaques, which contain calcium deposits, in the heart vessels. These plaques are a major cause of heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. Currently, coronary calcium measurements serve primarily as a tool in research on heart disease rather than a screening tool to ward off the illness. That, however, may soon change.
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