A closer look at heart disease risk

Coronary artery calcium scans can help identify dangerous plaque buildup. [IMGCAP(1)] Predicting heart disease has never been an exact science. Some factors — such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels (especially LDL or “bad” cholesterol), diabetes, and smoking — can help predict future risk. But the presence of atherosclerosis, the disease underlying most heart attacks, is not always easy to spot. That’s where a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan may come…