New Technology Offers Hope in Heart Disease

Article submitted by Dr. Rudy Rezzadeh from Bergen Health Care.
For more information, he can be reached at 201-767-3666.

Ultrafast CT (EBCT) and CT Angiogram (CTA) are the latest technology that give hope to people who want to know if they have coronary artery disease. Heart disease, by far, is the leading cause of death in both male and female patients in the United States. About half of all patients may not have any symptoms before their first heat attack. Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is a slow, progressive disease that begins in childhood and may go undetected for years. The hardening of arteries comes from deposits (plaque & calcium). This process involves the inner lining of the coronary arteries. The plaque eventually ruptures and leads to a heart attack. CTA will help us predict which patients are at high risk and are susceptible for future heart attacks. CTA is similar to a conventional scan and takes only 15 minutes.

Who is eligible for these new tests?

• Male patients between 35 to 65 years of age
• Female patients between 45 to 70 years of age with the following risks:
• Family history of heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol level
• Smokers
• Sedentary life style
• Obesity

Other uses of CTA includes: Brain, Arteries of the neck, abdomen, kidney, and lower extremities.