There is some very interesting news out of the science community. Bone density scans, like those performed at Hollywood Diagnosticss Center, may actually assist in evaluating women’s risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This according to new findings published in the journal Heart.
Both ASCVD and osteoporosis are significant age-related diseases. Past studies show they often arise at similar time periods. This hints at a potential association between the two.
What Did the Studies Show?
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry exams performed on more than 12,500 women showed this may in fact be feasible. DXA revealed multiple independent predictors of ASCVD events, including death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke, researchers reported.
And adding bone mineral density (BMD) to the equation improved assessments for this specific form of cardiovascular disease, which is a top killer across the globe.
For their investigations, Park et al. retrospectively analyzed 12,681 women ages 50-80 years who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Of this total, 468 women or 3.7% suffered an ASCVD event at follow-up (median 9.2 years).
Additional independent factors associated with ASCVD included: lower BMD at the lumbar spine, femur neck and total hip, the authors reported.
Editorialists Canoy and Rahimi noted that although DXA is ideal for osteoporosis screening, it may not always be available in other practice settings. Alternative and simpler methods, they noted, could be just as predictive as bone scans.
If you live in South Florida, or specifically the city of Hollywood, and are in need of a bone density scan, or any medical imaging or procedure, then call the Hollywood Diagnosticss Center today! Medical professionals are ready to assist you with all of the tests and procedures that you need to get your health in order. All of the staff is friendly and ready to answer any questions you have regarding any medical imaging technologies and procedures. Call the Hollywood Diagnostics Center at Phone: (954) 966-3600 today!