Medical investigators with the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) tested the tool — which measures the buildup of calcium in coronary arteries — on nearly 5,600 people over 20 years.
 

The results showed that even otherwise healthy adults with low scores (under 100) were 50 percent more likely to die of heart disease than adults with no calcified plaque buildup, or a score of zero. Adults with moderate scores (100-399) were 80 percent more likely to die from heart disease and those with scores of 400 or more were three times more likely to die from heart disease, compared to adults with a calcium score of zero.
 

Previous studies have found that calcium scores can help predict heart disease among adults with known heart disease risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, current smoking, or a family history of heart disease. But the new study is the first to show that calcium scoring can also flag at-risk individual who do not have any obvious risk factors.
 

"This long-term study builds on previous research conducted at LA BioMed and other institutions that have proven the effectiveness of coronary artery calcium screening in predicting heart disease risks," said Matthew J. Budoff, M.D., who helped conduct the study.
 

"Normally, calcium scoring is only recommended for patients with known heart disease risks. These findings suggest that calcium scoring can be an effective tool for assessing heart disease risks in adults with no known risk factors so that they can make the lifestyle and other changes that can help them avoid heart disease in the future."
 

The findings were presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Cardiology.