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Overweight With Calcification In The Anterior Artery. Transthoracic Echocardiogram Ordered. Can I Get Angiogram Instead?
I am a 53 yr old overweight male, BMI 34%. I recently had a CT scan and was told I have a cardiac calcium score of 661 with calcification primarily in my left anterior artery. I visited a cardiologist who has ordered a transthoracic echocardiogram to be followed by a nuclear stress test. A friend of similar age and diagnosis and factors had an angiogram without having these two tests. What is the normal protocol? Why can't I just get an angiogram?
Fri, 10 May 2013
Hi,
Welcome to HCM,
You are overweight and you have suspected coronary artery disease, You should go for 2D Echocardiography and stress test ( Nuclear stress test or TMT) will let us know if there is reversible myocardial ischemia is there or not.
Your calcium score is high and there is possibility of coronary artery disease and your doctor will look into other risk factors like Obesity,Diabetes, High blood pressure , deranged Lipid Profile Smoking.
If it is there you may need catheter angiography and if required angioplasty and stent.
The tests are according to need of patients and many times directly coronary angiography is done where high risk and angina is present.
Please have faith in your treating cardiologist and go for tests.Once your investigations are over it can be treated accordingly and please try to lose that extra weight slowly.
Please take care
Good Luck.
Dr.Akhilesh Dubey M.D.
Welcome to HCM,
You are overweight and you have suspected coronary artery disease, You should go for 2D Echocardiography and stress test ( Nuclear stress test or TMT) will let us know if there is reversible myocardial ischemia is there or not.
Your calcium score is high and there is possibility of coronary artery disease and your doctor will look into other risk factors like Obesity,Diabetes, High blood pressure , deranged Lipid Profile Smoking.
If it is there you may need catheter angiography and if required angioplasty and stent.
The tests are according to need of patients and many times directly coronary angiography is done where high risk and angina is present.
Please have faith in your treating cardiologist and go for tests.Once your investigations are over it can be treated accordingly and please try to lose that extra weight slowly.
Please take care
Good Luck.
Dr.Akhilesh Dubey M.D.
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