Calcium heart scans gain value mainly for middle-risk patients

A Northwestern study of more than 6,000 adults over 10 years finds that coronary artery calcium scans add only modest improvement to the PREVENT risk calculator for predicting heart attack or stroke in the overall population, but they can meaningfully refine risk among people with borderline to intermediate risk (3–9% 10‑year risk), aiding treatment decisions like statin use. The scans are less useful for low-risk individuals and unlikely to change management in high-risk patients, and further research is needed in certain populations.