Williamson Health is giving the community an opportunity to find out their risk of heart disease through a discounted “Love Your Heart. Know Your Risk.” screening throughout American Heart Month in February. The coronary calcium score screening, a simple scan for asymptomatic people ages 40 to 75, is one of many assessments available to detect the risk of heart disease before signs or symptoms arise.
“A coronary calcium screening is a quick test for someone who wants to know if they may have any signs of heart disease,” said Dr. Brian Long, M.D., an interventional cardiologist with Vanderbilt Health and the chief of cardiology for Williamson Health. “The scan helps determine if a patient has the build-up of plaque in their arteries, which can lead to heart problems.”
Williamson Health is offering $50 coronary calcium score screenings booked in the month of February. Those interested in getting or gifting a screening need to call (615) 435-5361 to schedule an appointment and payment by credit/debit card must be received over the phone when scheduling. You must call by February 29, 2024 to schedule a screening. The screenings will be performed at the Williamson Health Imaging Center on the first floor of the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee located at 3000 Edward Curd Lane next to Williamson Medical Center off I-65.
A coronary calcium score screening is non-invasive and takes just minutes using a CT machine that takes images of the heart’s blood vessels. The screening looks for calcium buildup in the arteries as calcium deposits can lead to plaque buildup and an increased risk of a heart attack. Each patient screened will be given a score based on the amount of calcium buildup with the results sent to the patient’s address and his/her primary care physician within 48 hours. It is recommended that patients review their results and risk with their physician and develop a plan for better heart health as necessary.
These scans do not require a physician referral, but patients will be asked to submit the contact information for their primary care physician for follow-up. This test is not to be considered a substitute for a clinical examination by a physician. Coronary artery calcium scoring is intended to be a risk assessment test for coronary artery disease only, and the results of this examination should be taken into careful consideration by the patient’s primary care physician in the context of other factors such as relevant history, physical examination and other indicated or related investigations. Williamson Health is not responsible for any adverse consequences from patients not sharing the scan results with their personal doctor.
According to the American Heart Association, coronary artery calcium testing is helpful in guiding heart treatment decisions, such as whether to start low-dose aspirin, statins or other medications.
Williamson Health offers a wide variety of cardiovascular care options to help patients take control of their heart health. The health system’s broad range of heart health services includes a gold-standard chest pain center, two state-of-the-art, on-site heart catheterization labs, cardiac stress testing, cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs and more. For more information visit https://williamsonhealth.org/medical-services/cardiology/.
