Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, with over 500,000 dying each year. Most women don’t even know they are at risk, nor do they seek early detection. Their first symptom is often a sudden heart attack or stroke, often leading to death.

Emerging technology has greatly increased the ability to diagnose, and treat heart disease in women. The newest and most effective device in heart scan technology is the 64-slice LightSpeed CT scanner. Coronary CT angiography in the office setting is a new cutting edge technology that safely diagnoses the female patient (especially those with atypical chest pains and multiple risk factors). The test takes only minutes to do and requires only a single breath hold. In a matter of minutes, the doctor will be able to review the results. The CT computer displays images as detailed three-dimensional pictures of the heart and even reveals the interior walls of the coronary arteries where the disease is located. The doctor then immediately begins an action plan to eradicate the disease.

The CT scan represents a cardiologist’s version of a mammogram in that it directly images the disease, and is a painless, noninvasive outpatient test which has an extremely high degree of accuracy. This enables the doctor to diagnose this silent killer earlier and as safely as possible. Radiation exposure exists but is kept to a minimum by using new dose modulation techniques.

Well known Los Angeles cardiologist Robert Chesne, M.D. of APEX Cardiology explains that “diagnosing coronary artery disease in women can be difficult to detect as the types of chest pain women have are not always the classic “crushing” chest pressure. Doctors have learned to be more complete in their diagnostic workup of both women with typical cardiac chest pain symptoms as well as those with atypical symptoms such as unexplained upper abdominal pain, shortness of breath, nausea and fatigue”.

Obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, family history and elevated “bad guy” cholesterol (LDL) are risk factors which negatively affect women and men equally. However, in regards to coronary disease, women are not simply “small men”. Diabetic women, for example, have five times the risk of developing heart disease than diabetic men.

APEX Cardiology in Inglewood, California is a nationally recognized leader in providing a full range of Los Angeleles cardiology services including the 64-slice CT Scanner.