Because EBT technology is available without a doctor’s referral, there are certain guidelines that potential patients should follow to ensure overall safety and responsible use of EBT technology.

Knowing Your Risk of Heart Disease
The first step to safe and responsible EBT scanning is determining your risk factor for contracting heart disease. EBT technology is not intended for everyone; its primary purpose is the early detection of coronary artery calcification, an early indicator of heart disease, in individuals who are at-risk of contracting heart disease. The fact is, only EBT technology can successfully detect the early warning signs of heart disease while it is still at a treatable stage.

Everyday, seemingly healthy individuals suffer serious or fatal heart attacks despite low cholesterol, a healthy diet and exercise program, and successful completion of annual physical exams, including traditional stress testing.

If you currently have no major risk factors for heart disease, exercise regularly and are very careful about your diet, it is important to continue your “heart-healthy” lifestyle. However, it is important to note that there are some factors that you cannot control – for example, your age, sex and family history. For some people, a coronary calcification score is the only indication that they might be at higher than expected risk for a heart attack.

Who Should Consider An EBT Heart Scan
Persons who choose to take a proactive, intelligent approach to their health care should consider an EBT heart scan if one or more of the following risk factors is present:

• Men over 35 and women over 45 years of age
• A family history of early heart disease
• Diabetes
• Elevated cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Current or prior tobacco usage or a history of prolonged exposure to second hand smoke
  

Who Should Not Undergo An EBT Heart Scan

• Patients with a history of heart attack, angioplasty or bypass surgery should not have the EBT calcium score test unless a physician has referred them and is monitoring their care
• Young adults are typically not recommended to undergo the scan unless there is a family history of heart disease or the young person already has a history of risk factors