This simple test can detect heart disease risk early
Heart disease is quietly brewing long before any symptoms actually show up. Dr. Dinesh Narang, a senior interventional cardiologist at the Lilavati Hospital, talks about a simple test called Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scan that is life-saving.
It is a CT scan with a very specific goal: checking for calcium deposits in the arteries that feed our heart.
Credit: Getty Images
What is Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scan?
These deposits are early warning signs of plaque build-up, which can eventually lead to cardiac arrest. The test gives you a 'calcium score' which speaks volumes about your heart health and whether you need to heed warning signs.
A score of 0 means zero plaque. No visible heart disease. A score between 1–100 is mild plaque, meaning some build-up. A score reading between 101–400 is moderate plaque. That means it is time to get proactive.
What does the score depict?
Medications like statins may be recommended for such patients. However, a score of 401+ is known as extensive plaque, simply means you're at high risk; immediate action is non-negotiable for these patients.
You can take the test if you're 40 for men or 50 for women. Or if you have one or more heart risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and a history of smoking.
When should you take the test?
The test should always be taken in consultation with a cardiologist's recommendation after proper medical evaluation.
The test is not for mass screening. It should always be taken in consultation with a cardiologist's recommendation after proper medical evaluation.
Not for everyone
Early detection, lifestyle changes, and timely treatment are the best ways to stay ahead of silent killers.
Know beforehand
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Woman fled America because of allergies: This is how foreign diets affected her body
Image credits: Getty Images O ut of all the imaginable reasons one would be forced to leave America, a woman revealed that her allergies were hers. However, her body saw shocking changes once she moved abroad. For three years, Bee, who uses the diminutive moniker online, had suffered numerous instances of anaphylaxis, hives and stomach aches triggered by the kind of food Americans love, such as cheese, wheat breads and even fresh produce. 'I didn't want to leave behind my entire life in the US, but I didn't feel like I had a choice,' she said of moving to Europe in November 2024, per Newsweek. 'I had to, I felt like my body was slowly shutting down from lack of nutrition because my diet was so limited.' Her diet consists of three foods: broccoli, coconut and chicken. 'Welcome to my series where I test foods that normally give me … histamine reactions in America outside of America to see if I get the same reaction,' she told viewers of her TikTok page, where she documents the changes in her diet and body. She added how she was bracing for the worst after consuming one of her trigger foods in another country, but surprisingly, the reaction never came. Thus, she began a quest of trying every food that used to make her sick and allergic in the US, such as pizza, French fries and pasta. The woman revealed that she was suffering from mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), an allergy-adjacent condition that can develop out of the blue. MCAS is a condition in which toxins or pathogens cause the immune cells to over-produce chemicals to combat the invader, leading to symptoms such as itching, flushing, hives, abdominal pain, diarrhea, low blood pressure, dizziness and brain fog. Bee's MCAS were triggered from food-based mycotoxins, which she confirmed with a battery of medical tests. In a recent video, she tried eating breaded shrimp at a Thai restaurant. The video received nearly 2.1 million views on TikTok, including that of TikTok's famous allergist, Dr. Rubin. In a post with Bee, he warned people against trying new food without medical supervision. 'You should not be going to another country to try foods if you were prescribed epinephrine because food allergies can be potentially life-threatening.'
India Today
7 hours ago
- India Today
The one exercise to get relief from hip osteoarthritis
The one exercise to get relief from hip osteoarthritis Credit: Getty Images A new study shows that patients with hip osteoarthritis who took part in weekly group cycling and education sessions recovered better than those who did standard one-on-one physiotherapy. Cycling helps arthritis patients For the same time it takes to treat one patient through physiotherapy, group cycling sessions can help several patients—and with better results. Group Classes Save Time The NIH-backed study, the CHAIN programme combines 8 weeks of static cycling and education for people with hip osteoarthritis, offering both physical and practical support. The process explained Five years after completing the programme, many patients still manage their pain without surgery, and over half avoided hip replacement altogether. Patients see benefits With hip replacements costing over £6,000 per patient, this approach could save money by preventing surgeries. Cost-Saving Low-impact cycling strengthens muscles around the hips, improves balance, supports bone health, and helps reduce stiffness and pain, according to programme leaders. Cycling Builds Strength This is a joint disease among older adults, in which the joint in the hip gradually tears away. It causes stiffness and reduced range of motion. Hip Osteoarthritis The cases of osteoarthritis are rising globally and in India. Exercises like cycling could help reduce pain and improve mobility. Rising Osteoarthritis Cases The study was published in The Lancet by researchers from Bournemouth University.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Is alkaline water better than regular water? Understanding how it works in the body
Alkaline water is often marketed as the healthier, more hydrating alternative to regular water. You've probably seen it on store shelves, boasting benefits like better hydration, detoxification, and even anti-aging. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But is there real science behind these claims, or is it just clever branding? Here's what we actually know about how alkaline water affects your body. What makes water 'alkaline'? Water's alkalinity is measured by its pH level, which tells you how acidic or basic the fluid is. A pH of 7 is considered neutral. Anything above 7 is alkaline, while anything below 7 is acidic. For reference, your blood maintains a slightly alkaline pH of 7.35 to 7.45, while your stomach is highly acidic with a pH ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 to aid digestion. Regular bottled water typically has a neutral pH around 7, whereas alkaline bottled water usually measures between 8 and 9 on the pH scale. Does alkaline water stay alkaline once you drink it? Not really. When you drink alkaline water, it hits your stomach, which is highly acidic. That acid quickly neutralizes whatever pH the water had. So while the water may be alkaline going in, it doesn't stay that way for long. Even if you drank enough alkaline water to slightly raise the pH of your blood, your kidneys would immediately correct it. The human body is very good at keeping blood pH stable. Can it hydrate you better? That's a common claim—but not a well-proven one. One small study in PLOS One in 2018 looked at elite athletes. Eight participants who drank alkaline water performed better in workouts and showed signs of better hydration than eight others who drank regular water. But the study was limited in size, and no similar large-scale studies have confirmed this. Most health experts agree: hydration depends more on how much water you drink, not the type. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Whether it's alkaline or regular, just drink enough water. Any benefits at all? Possibly one. Alkaline water might help with temporary relief from acid reflux or heartburn, because it can slightly neutralize stomach acid. But even this is short-lived. Antacids or acid-blocking medications are much more effective and longer-lasting if you have chronic acid reflux. Source: Getty Images When could it be risky? If you're on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), like omeprazole or esomeprazole—to treat acid reflux, adding alkaline water could be a bad idea. Why? These medications already raise your stomach pH, and combining them with alkaline water could raise it too much. This could mess with important minerals in your body, especially potassium. If you have kidney disease, the risk is even greater. Your kidneys help balance minerals and pH in the blood. Drinking water with a very high pH (above 9) might disrupt this balance and raise your blood pH, which is dangerous. Also, water with such high pH levels may taste bitter or unpleasant.
