PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Parikh, Parth
AU  - Shah, Nishant
AU  - Ahmed, Haitham
AU  - Schoenhagen, Paul
AU  - Fares, Maan
TI  - Coronary artery calcium scoring: Its practicality and clinical utility in primary care
AID  - 10.3949/ccjm.85a.17097
DP  - 2018 Sep 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 707--716
VI  - 85
IP  - 9
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/85/9/707.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/85/9/707.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2018 Sep 01; 85
AB  - Coronary artery calcium scoring is useful as a risk-stratification tool in coronary artery disease, and it outperforms other risk-assessment methods. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines give the test a IIB recommendation in clinical scenarios in which risk stratification is uncertain. However, if the test is not used in the appropriate clinical setting, misinterpretation of the results can lead to unnecessary cardiac testing. This review provides the primary care provider with basic knowledge about the test’s clinical utility, interpretation, risks, and limitations.