CAC score: To test or not to test?

Press/Media: Expert Comment

Description

Measuring how much calcium is in the walls of a heart’s blood vessels is ‘not free of problems’, and may contribute to overtreating.

Subject

Coronary Artery Calcium Score

Clinical Practice Guideline

Primary Care

Period30 Aug 2023

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleCAC score: To test or not to test?
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletNewsGP
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryAustralia
    Date30/08/23
    DescriptionMeasuring how much calcium is in the walls of a heart’s blood vessels is ‘not free of problems’, and may contribute to overtreating...
    For the large group of people who are at low risk of CVD, they have ‘little or nothing to gain’ from CAC score testing, according to Professor of General Practice Mark Morgan, who is Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care (REC–QC) and First Do No Harm Expert Steering Group.

    ‘In my practice I see people who have heard of the CAC score and think that it might be a good idea,’ he told newsGP.

    ‘Afterall, they say, if there is a test available why would you not do it just to be on the safe side?’

    Ruling out patients with no CVD symptoms, as well as those who are already known to be at high risk of or have established CVD, there is a small group remaining who may benefit from the test.

    ‘That really leaves just an intermediate risk group where it is difficult to know whether to recommend lifestyle plus preventive medication, and where the results of CAC score will influence the patient’s decision,’ Professor Morgan said.

    The latest released topic in the RACGP’s First do no harm: A guide to choosing wisely is the GP and accompanying patient resource, ‘Coronary artery calcium scoring in asymptomatic people’, which outlines the ‘traffic light system’ of recommendations for GPs in managing requests for a CAC score.
    Producer/AuthorMorgan Liotta
    URLhttps://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/cac-score-to-test-or-not-to-test?utm_source=racgpnewsgpnewsletter&utm_campaign=newsgpedm&utm_medium=email
    PersonsMark Morgan