EBT Heart Scan............

[FinanceDude]

Just had one done. Only $199, and I had Flex Dollars to "burn".........

Will get the results after the cardiologist reviews, but the tech said it looked "good for a man my age"...........of course she was cute and 25, so that's a compliment I guess............

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by FinanceDude

Just had one done. Only $199, and I had Flex Dollars to "burn".........
Will get the results after the cardiologist reviews, but the tech said it looked "good for a man my age"...........of course she was cute and 25, so that's a compliment I guess............

Hope it turns out negative. If so, the likelihood of important coronary disease is very low.

But...

CAC screening was not recommended for risk prediction in asymptomatic patients by a 2000 ACC/AHA consensus panel. Even in the presence of an increased CAC score, the pretest probability of significant coronary artery disease is still low.

Also, there are a disturbing number of false positives (i.e. false alarms that require catheterization to assess, and turn out OK). Coronary catheterization is pretty safe, but there are occasional serious complications, not to mention cost. I'm afraid that CAC screening is, for now, one of those "executive physical" type interventions done with good intentions, but which might actually do the patient more harm than good, on average.

It's a promising technology which may someday lead to better things.

[Leonidas]

Glad someone brought the executive health scan thing up - Was wondering about it.

Rich,

I've been blessed with wonderful health, and being a typical guy I only go to the doctor when rest, plenty of fluids or over the counter meds aren't working. In the last ten years I've been twice; once for GIRD - since gone away, and a second time for strained muscle in my back. Before that I have only been for a few ER trips that were work related. I've had a few work related physicals which consisted of "breathe in please....now out...Good, you passed." I know I need to go and get a checkup/physical regularly, and now that I'm getting older (47) I really will do that - promise. But, I'm curious as to what a good checkup for a guy my age should include. I don't have any complaints (knocking furiously on wood) - so what should the doc be looking for, what kind of tests should I make sure I have done? I'm especially interested in early diagnosis / treatment of those nasty things that slowly creep up and then only make themselves known when it's already bad.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Leonidas

I don't have any complaints (knocking furiously on wood) - so what should the doc be looking for, what kind of tests should I make sure I have done? I'm especially interested in early diagnosis / treatment of those nasty things that slowly creep up and then only make themselves known when it's already bad.

Look here, especially the link in my post.

[larry]

Okay Rich, after reading your post where would a doppler (carotid, DVT, etc) fall in regards to high cholesterol? Would this be a must have to set a baseline. The reason I ask is that the local hospital offers monthly doppler testing that is very affordable (especially to those of using an HSA) as opposed to having to get one if the doc feels like i'm a stroke candidate and spending $k's.

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by larry

Okay Rich, after reading your post where would a doppler (carotid, DVT, etc) fall in regards to high cholesterol? Would this be a must have to set a baseline. The reason I ask is that the local hospital offers monthly doppler testing that is very affordable (especially to those of using an HSA) as opposed to having to get one if the doc feels like i'm a stroke candidate and spending $k's.

Larry, Dopplers of the carotids are not cosidered appropriate as screening procedures either, though they are very useful for diagnosis of certain symptoms. Recently I've seen "bundles" of test marketed as if they were xmas baskets. The only one that comes close to meeting criteria is screening of smoking, hypertensive men with ultrasounds for aortic aneurysm, and even that falls short.

It's not the initial cost that is at issue -- its all the followup stuff that's needed for the occasional abnormal. In a screening setting most of the abnormals turn out to be false alarms.

[Leonidas]

So, if you doctor recommends a lean but thoughtul minimal test profile, he/she is probably on track.

I'm beginning to suspect that the purveyors of these package deals are merely a step, or two, above the Nigerian guy who keeps sending me those emails.

Well, from the few times I've seen the guy, the minimalist approach fits how my PCP does business. Big on spending time talking about what's going on, has never gone crazy on ordering tests, and is pretty cautious about scripts. Which is all good in most aspects. (But it can be bad - he spends so much time talking with each patient that he is always way behind schedule.) I generally trust the guy as pretty cautious and I'll bump up getting a checkup to near the top of my "crap I've really got to do" list.

[newguy88]

Originally Posted by Leonidas

I'm beginning to suspect that the purveyors of these package deals are merely a step, or two, above the Nigerian guy who keeps sending me those emails.

Well, from the few times I've seen the guy, the minimalist approach fits how my PCP does business. Big on spending time talking about what's going on, has never gone crazy on ordering tests, and is pretty cautious about scripts. Which is all good in most aspects. (But it can be bad - he spends so much time talking with each patient that he is always way behind schedule.) I generally trust the guy as pretty cautious and I'll bump up getting a checkup to near the top of my "crap I've really got to do" list.

Hey I run 8 to 10 miles a day been a vegatarian for a bunch of years and ended up in the ER at 1am 4 years ago getting a cardiac cath emergency thinking heart attack, only to find clear coronary arteries. 2 days in ICU from Pericarditis Viral infection of the pericardium around my heart. From a COLD VIRUS!! Well that is what the Doc thought. 8 weeks of no running. So even the real healthy people can get wacked by the bugs!!