Baptist Health Paducah offers painless heart screening to detect disease before symptoms appear

(PADUCAH, KY) March 12, 2025 – Baptist Health Paducah offers a test that can detect heart disease before symptoms appear such as chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue. The coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan is a painless CT chest scan that detects calcium buildup in the arteries, often an early indicator of potential heart disease.

For Paducah native and Baptist Health Paducah Pharmacy director Laura (Lafferty) Madison, heart disease took her father, Stan Lafferty. too soon. Stan had his first heart attack and 5-vessel CABG at 54. After suffering 3 more heart attacks and multiple stents, Stan passed away at 59.

“I remember the cardiologist telling me his heart looked calcified despite living a very healthy life,” said Madison. “He exercised daily and never drank or smoked. I can’t help but wonder if this scan had been available if his treatment plan would have been different or if he would still be here today.  I will definitely be getting this test done and encourage anyone with cardiovascular conditions in their family to do so.”

According to Baptist Health Paducah interventional cardiologist, Michael Faulkner, MD, the scans are particularly useful for individuals looking to better understand their long-term cardiovascular risk. While this is not a new test, this scan is being used more widely. This is a screening test to assess cardiovascular risk over time.

“Ideal candidates are patients who do not already have diagnosed coronary artery disease but want to evaluate their risk,” said Faulkner. “Younger patients with risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease may also benefit from this test.”

The CAC scan predicts the amount of calcium present in the buildup of cholesterol and other substances called coronary plaque. The more calcium that is detected, the more plaque is present. The more plaque, the higher the risk of developing coronary artery disease.

“In general, a score of 0 is ideal,” said Faulkner. “Anything other than 0 does place the patient at some increased risk.  The patient's calcium score is then placed in a calculator against aged-matched patients and gives a percentile rank for where the patient's calcium score lies.”

For patients with an elevated score, there are several treatment options. “Medications offered may include cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins and potentially aspirin,” said Faulkner. “If the patient is hypertensive, then blood pressure medications may be given as well.”

While treatments do not eliminate the existing calcium deposits, it does help. “Calcium does not necessarily go away but over time, but can be stabilized with medication,” said Faulkner. “This helps to stabilize the plaque or calcium that is already built up in the vessel walls and leads to less likely chance that a plaque might rupture and cause a heart attack or other cardiovascular events.”

A CAC scan is typically ordered by a primary care provider, though other healthcare professionals may also recommend it. At Baptist Health Paducah, this self-pay scan is available for $175.

To find out if you qualify for a CAC scan, talk with your primary care provider.