We know there are ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, but can a heart attack be predicted? Find out if doctors can predict them.
While the technology to assess your risk of experiencing a heart attack in the future doesn’t widely exist, that could change – and soon. Since it is estimated that someone experiences a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S., it would be priceless to have this diagnostic test.
At the moment, there are limitations when it comes to assessing a patient’s relative heart attack risk. However, researchers from the University of Oxford in England and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio may have developed a useful test. Their research has moved us one step closer to detecting heart attack risks.
Detection and CT Scans
According to study author Dr. Milind Desai from the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, the “Holy Grail” is the ability to predict the exact time when someone will have a heart attack.
Their research shows that the plaques that eventually cause a heart attack give off chemical signals that can alert to an impending heart attack. The detection system, called the Fat Attenuation Index (FAI), uses standard CT scanning technology to measure and detect risk.
As a result, physicians have an easy-to-understand score measuring a patient’s heart attack risk. For example, patients with abnormal FAI numbers were up to nine times more likely of having a fatal heart attack within the next five years.
Only a Matter of Time
Even if a patient doesn’t experience a heart attack, this technology can help patients receive the treatment they need before a cardiac event. “Hopefully, those who do experience a heart attack can survive it, because for those who don’t drop dead, cardiologists are good at fixing the problem,” said Desai. Moreover, Desai suggests that the FAI system may even help future drug trials for heart attack prevention.
It’s important to note that predictive technology is not preventative technology; that’s where lifestyle changes come in. Still, an abnormal FAI score may just be the push someone needs to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Furthermore, Desai suggests that integrating the technology into healthcare offices may happen sooner rather than later. “People don’t want to spend more time than they have to analyzing a scan, so they may want to upload to a cloud scanner where a company or group of analyzers will analyze the data and give a number that will be incorporated on the doctor’s report,” said Desai.
The Outlook
As technology advances, so may our ability to predict when someone will have a heart attack. However, remember that this technology won’t prevent a heart attack from happening. To do that, you have to practice healthy habits like exercising regularly, eating healthily, and taking supplements like L-arginine Plus.
Its formula contains ingredients that effectively promote circulation, blood pressure health, cholesterol health, and more. If you’re ready to take care of your heart health, don’t wait until it’s time you have a heart attack – support it now with L-arginine Plus.