The recent sudden and tragic deaths of cricket legend Shane Warne and Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching have focused a lot of attention on heart health.
We often imagine we’ll have some warning of heart trouble before it strikes – but in around 30 per cent of cases, sudden death is the very first symptom. That’s why anyone at risk of coronary disease needs to get checked out as soon as possible, as symptoms of plaque in the arteries usually only manifest if they are narrowed by at least 70 per cent.
“You could have quite a lot of narrowing’s that are much less than 70 per cent in your coronary arteries, and they’re not causing you any symptoms. Any plaque in the wall is potentially unstable, particularly if it’s got a lot of cholesterol in it, and could rupture and cause a heart attack,” said cardiologist Professor Richard Harper in The Australian.
Fortunately – according to Professor Harper and fellow heart expert Dr Brett Forge – there are two tests which can spot the early warning signs: a coronary calcium score to measure calcium in the coronary arteries from plaques and scarring, and a CT coronary angiogram (CTCA), which checks the coronary arteries for plaque and assesses how bad it is, even if it isn’t yet causing a blockage.
Dr Forge warns that anyone over 40 should have heart checks to monitor blood pressure and cholesterol and discuss diet and exercise, so that these tests can be ordered if necessary.
“Imagine if we had a simple, non-invasive test we could do for cancer, and then we could diagnose it and say we’ve got an easy treatment that will prevent you dying from it. Coronary disease is a reversible disease and more common than cancer,” he said.
With appropriate treatment, plaques in the arteries can be shrunk and stabilised, making them less likely to rupture – and boosting your chances of avoiding a surprise heart attack.
