Pittsburgh Doctors Find Better Way To Predict Heart Attack, StrokePOSTED: 4:31 pm EST November 10,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- After years of trying, doctors in Pittsburgh have now found a non-invasive way to predict patient's risk of a heart attack or stroke.The study findings being presented at the American Heart Association meeting by Allegheny General Hospital heart researchers prove it's not how much plaque you have in your arteries but rather the consistency or composition of that plaque.Plaque buildup in blood vessels is a problem. But Dr. Robert Biederman, one of the authors of the new study said all plaque is not created equal. The amount or appearance doesn't count."You could have zero change in the actual severity as measured by our standard techniques. But if you could hone down to the nitty gritty, to the actual characteristic of that plaque, you may see there is tremendous change," Biederman said.Doctors can see changes using high resolution, three-dimensional cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. It shows the first ever visual evidence that vessel narrowing isn't as important as whether plaque deposits are at risk of rupturing.Michael Popovich had his first heart attack hit in 1977. Now at age 78, the retired pharmacist takes a statin, cholesterol lowering medication -- and takes each day as it comes."I'm doing fine. I get around. As long as I can open my eyes in the morning, get around daily, I'm fine," Popovich said.Looking at a magnetic resonance angiogram of Popovich's carotid arteries shows one side is wide open. But the other side right is 97 percent closed. What makes that even worse is the type of plaque that is causing that closure.But that amount of plaque doesn't have to mean disaster for the patient. Aggressive treatment can help."Patients get better, patients have decreased risk of stroke, decreased hospitalization, decreased risk of heart attack, but again the percent of stenosis doesn't change," Biederman said.Doctors always thought the buildup of fatty plaque in arteries caused heart attacks and stroke. Now they know most victims don't have severely narrowed arteries. Seventy-five percent of those events happen to people whose arteries have 40 percent or less narrowing. This study shows plaque composition is the culprit and statin drugs can reduce the risk. Related Links:
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