Cardiovascular check-up

A heart attack is still the most frequent cause of death in Germany. Most people know by now that a high cholesterol level, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, stress, obesity, and a lack of exercise increase the risk of a heart attack. However, estimating the danger for each individual is still vague – and clarifying examinations are usually conducted only after patients experience chest pains and that makes them go see a physician. The cardiac CT is a simple and minimum risk method for the early detection of coronary disease and to evaluate an individual's risk of having a heart attack.

Coronary heart disease, which leads to narrowing, inflammations and cholesterol deposits in the coronary vessel walls and is the most frequent cause of a heart attack, has angina pectoris as a symptom in only 40% of all cases, i.e., a constricting sensation or pain behind the breastbone. In another 40% of all cases, a heart attack occurs without any forewarning from complaints, and 20% of patients with coronary heart disease die a sudden cardiac death. This is why it is important that the first changes be detected and treated as soon as possible in patients who have not had any symptoms of the disease yet. One of the early objective signs of coronary heart disease is coronary calcium buildup, which can be detected with a new, simple, safe, and mild examination: the cardiac CT, a computed tomography examination of the heart.