Traditional heart screening methods often detect underlying heart disease when it's too late - especially in women. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, almost two-thirds of women who die unexpectedly from a heart attack had no prior symptoms.

Now, there is a new screening method available that uses a device to take a "snapshot" of any plaque build-up in the arteries. Utilizing ultrasound technology, the device measures carotid intima-media thickness, or CIMT, to detect small traces of plaque in the arteries. CIMT measuring technology has been available for the past 6 to 8 years, but this is the first instance in which it is being used as a diagnostic tool. The inventor of the device, Dr. Eric Crall, of Florida's Trinity Family Practice, presses a wand against the patient's neck, where even the tiniest traces of plaque in the carotid artery can mean plaque is also building up in the arteries to the heart. "If plaque is occurring anywhere in the body, it's occurring everywhere in the body," notes Dr. Crall.

The non-invasive test takes just five minutes. It is painless and since it uses ultrasound, no radiation is required. With traditional exercise stress tests revealing blockage only after the artery is 40 percent to 50 percent blocked, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology are recommending the CIMT test. "It was life changing for some patients who didn't even know of any possible problems before the CIMT ultrasound," says Dr. Crall. And adds Anna Allen, a Morton Plant Mease Health Care spokeswoman, "It gives people an arterial age, which can be quite different from a person's chronological age. A patient 50 years old might have arteries with average thickness more akin to a person 60 years old."

The $175 price tag for the test could prohibit its widespread use. As Dr. Crall notes, "Not many insurance companies are paying for the procedure thus far. Often the individual must pay out of his or her own pocket. And with the downturn in the economy, some people might hesitate to get the test because of its expense." For some people concerned that they are at risk for heart disease, the test provides real peace of mind. "It makes a big difference in motivating people to exercise and make changes in their diet in order to lower their risk," says Dr. Crall.

News Release: Neck can provide heart disease clues  www.suncoastpasco.tbo.com    June 23, 2009