Catalyzing CAC Testing to Transform Heart Health
For Your Heart. For Your Future.
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Heart disease is preventable — but early risk can be invisible.
Too often, the consequences are devastating.
Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) testing can identify plaque build-up before symptoms appear. Unfortunately, CAC testing is often underused by clinicians and unfamiliar to patients Many people are missing the chance for early detection and treatment.
Our vision is to build a future where adults understand their cardiovascular risk early enough to change their trajectory.
Now Is The Time
Your support drives a groundbreaking national initiative led by the American Heart Association to make early cardiovascular risk assessment more clinically guided and actionable. Our comprehensive approach will advance the science, build quality improvement pathways that support the appropriate use of CAC testing, and raise awareness with the public, providers and key decision makers. Together, these efforts will create a healthcare system where more adults know their risk — and have a clear path forward.
By integrating appropriate CAC testing into personalized preventive care, we aim to help uncover early plaque buildup in heart arteries and empower individuals with clear, actionable information before symptoms arise.
Your Impact - A National Shift Toward Early Detection and Prevention
- Launch real-world efforts to expand appropriate use of CAC testing in clinical practice.
- Identify what encourages—or prevents—people from getting recommended testing.
- Use data and technology to better identify who can benefit most from CAC testing.
- Support clinicians with tools and training to make CAC testing part of evidence-based, appropriate care.
- Help people understand their heart risks and what actions to take next.
- Advance policies that support proven, evidence-based care.
Result: Earlier detection, better treatment, and stronger preventative care.
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This national initiative leverages a once-in-a-generation alignment of science, technology, and field readiness to make early detection the standard of care. |
CAC FAQs
A coronary artery calcium (CAC) test is a kind of heart scan. X-rays take detailed images of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. The images show any calcium deposits in your coronary arteries. Higher amounts of calcium in the arteries suggest more severe disease.
A CAC test measures the calcium in your heart arteries. This calcium score gives your health care team an idea of:
- How much plaque is in your heart arteries
- Your risk of a future heart attack
- Congenital heart disease
- Problems with heart valves
- Artery blockages
- Tumors or masses of the heart
- Pumping function of the heart
CAC testing helps with treatment decisions, such as starting low-dose aspirin or statin therapy. Some groups where it may be useful:
- People unsure about statin therapy and who want to understand the risk and potential benefits
- People concerned about taking statins again after stopping treatment due to side effects
- Men ages 55-80 or women 60-80 with few risk factors who question whether they would benefit from statin therapy
- People ages 40-55 with between a 5% and 7.5% 10-year risk for getting heart disease and they have risk factors that raise their risk
Calcium scoring isn’t recommended for people who don’t have heart disease symptoms and have a low risk of heart attack unless they have a strong family history of premature coronary heart disease. Calcium scoring won’t give extra information if you’ve already had a:
The scan exposes you to the same amount of radiation as a mammogram. Repeated exposure can have negative health effects such as increased cancer risk. Talk with your health care team about the safety and risks for any test.
Tell your health care team if you’re pregnant. The test may be delayed until after your pregnancy.
No special preparation is needed.
- Technicians perform the CAC scan in hospitals or special outpatient clinics.
- Electrodes are attached to your chest to monitor your EKG. The EKG also helps the computer create clear pictures of your heart.
- When you’re ready, the table slowly moves inside the machine. The scanner arches around you but doesn’t touch you.
- The technician will watch you closely through a window. You can talk to them through an intercom.
- The technician will ask you to hold your breath for short periods.
- CT scanning takes about 10-15 minutes.
Your health care team will make an appointment to discuss the results and next steps with you.
