EBCT measured coronary artery calcium scores in asymptomatic life insurance applicants.

EBCT measured coronary calcium is fast becoming a standard screening tool in asymptomatic patients with and without risk factors who apply for life insurance. Since atherosclerotic plaques become calcified as part of their natural history, the calcium score is an excellent measure of total atherosclerotic burden. Over the past 5 years, various clinical studies have confirmed the predictive value of the coronary calcium score for both soft (revascularization, MI) and hard (MI and sudden cardiac death) events incrementally and independently of traditional coronary risk factors identified by the Framingham Heart Study. Accurate assessment of cardiac mortality risk in asymptomatic applicants for life insurance should include both traditional risk factor assessments in combination with age and gender specific percentiles for coronary calcium. New data from both new and ongoing clinical trials will seek to further support the predictive value of coronary calcium scores as an independent and incremental predictor of hard cardiac events.