People have always had an obsession with death generated by the fear of the unknown. Some of us would give anything to know how long they have got to live, even though, if answered, this question would be less desired.
Knowing when you die might be important, but if you actually find out, you may do fewer things than you expect to. However, even if it seems impossible, according to a new study, the information of our date of death can be “guessed” — thanks to a calcium heart scan.
This great, or not so great, news was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine and describe a scan, which offers the ability to check the calcium deposits found in our major arteries. The results of the calcium heart scan help doctors inform people about how much longer they should expect to live.
HOW DOES THE CALCIUM HEART SCAN WORK?
The coronary artery calcification (CAC), is an x-ray test that searches specks of calcium in the walls of the coronary arteries. This sounds bad, and it might be. The specks are actually calcification and their presence is an important sign of coronary artery disease. It might not seem deathly but it is a heart disease and that makes it quite dangerous.
According to a declaration made by the professor of cardiology at Emory University in Atlanta, Leslee Shaw, the results offered by CAC offer doctors a clear understanding of how important the calcium heart scans is when predicting mortality.
The calcium heart scan is an absolute improvement for our health. A patient who is found having high calcium scores can be advised by their doctors to change their lifestyle and become healthier in order to improve and lengthen their lives.
The 15-year study was created on 10,000 people and t became a strong evidence of how risky large deposits of calcium in the arteries can be. Therefore, the calcium heart scan, together with blood and cholesterol tests, can become part of a person’s annual physical exam.
