Heart Attack Treatment: CT Scans Lower Risk of Attacks Says Study

Scottish researchers, who conducted a study on angina caused by coronary heart disease, have suggested that CT Scans can reduce the risk of future heart attacks. 

According to Herald Scotland, the study was conducted by a team of researchers from Edinburgh University, which was funded by the British Heart Foundation.

Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation states, "Accurate diagnosis of coronary heart disease is vital for ensuring patients receive the optimum treatment to manage their condition and reduce risk of a heart attack. Research comparing existing care with other available tests is important for demonstrating how diagnosis could be improved." 

Around 4,000 people who were experiencing symptoms of angina participated in the study, reports BBC News. The lead researcher of the study, Dr. David Newby - a professor at Edinburgh University - explains angina and how it is diagnosed.  

According to Health Day, Dr. Newby states, "The chest pain, or angina, is a tightness in the chest which comes on when [patients] exert themselves. Patients are usually seen in the clinic and can undergo a range of potential tests that could include a myocardial perfusion scan...and ultrasound 'echo' scan, and MRI or a coronary angiogram."  

The study has revealed that CT Scans help doctors diagnose the cause of angina more accurately. As a result, patients are given the right form of treatment to reduce the chest pain faster. 

In addition, patients participating in the study who received CT scans had fewer heart attacks, BBC News noted. Dr. Newby said that, "A CT scan clarifies the diagnosis, changes treatments and may reduce the risk of a heart attack." 

The people who participated in the research were randomly split into separate groups. One group received CT scans, while people in the other group received standard care. 

Out of the patients who received CT scans, 25% of the cases resulted in a different diagnosis and therefore, lead to changes in the patients' treatments. While with patients who received standard care, only 1% resulted in a different diagnosis, reports Health Day.  

The report adds that CT scan patients experienced a lower number of heart attacks by 38%, over a period of 20 months. There were 26 heart attack cases with the patients who received a CT scan, compared to 42 cases experienced by those who only received standard care. 

According to BBC News, Dr. Newby talks about the results of the study, saying, "The overall rate of heart attacks was low and we need to follow them for longer to confirm whether the technology helps to save lives in the long-term." The site adds that the doctor finds the results "encouraging."