Cardiac scan nearly halves future risk of heart attack in patients with chest pain, finds study

Investigating patients with stable chest pain using coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) nearly halves their risk of death due to coronary heart disease or of non-fatal myocardial infarction over the next five years, a study has shown.1 This was first randomised trial to investigate adding this type of scan to standard care.

“This relatively simple heart scan ensures that patients get the right treatment,” said lead author David Newby, from the British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science at the University of Edinburgh.

“This is the first time that CT guided management has been …