The signs and symptoms of heart disease and blockage can sometimes go entirely undetected, especially if you’re not making regular visits to your physician. Thanks to a CT scan, under 5 minutes, can help pinpoint problems and save lives.
Both Bobby Hancock and Vincent Vargas grew up playing baseball and remain active with the sport into their senior years. “Playing college and professional baseball and semi-pro baseball I was active all of my life,” says Hancock. Vargas says, “I coached 14 years of high school baseball. I played on a men’s league for about 20, 30 years.” Both men had heart disease in their families, but neither expected it to affect them the way it did, especially without symptoms of a problem.
Dr. Mark Castellaw of Baptist Medical Group says don’t let lack of symptoms fool you, “people think, well I’m not having any chest pain, I’m not having any trouble, I’m good. Well that’s not necessarily so.” He goes on to explain, “your heart can sometimes compensate for blockages you have and you won’t have symptoms.” He suggests a Cardiac Score for his patients.
The scan looks at a patient’s heart and major arteries, indicating where there’s calcium build up. The scan costs $99 dollars out of pocket.
Hancock says he walked seven miles with no problem the day he had his scan, only to find blockage that ultimately led to open heart surgery. “None of my stress tests, none of my Thalliums, none of that ever showed any chance of any heart trouble whatsoever.”
Vargas said he found several blockages with his scan and needed four stents. “It showed my arteries were okay but some of them were really clogged up,” he explains.
Dr. Castellaw said this is a baseline test, but a non-invasive option that helps indicate unknowns. Regular tests with your doctor will help them monitor your heart health and determine your long-term risks.