This past Saturday, September 10th, Pima Heart & Vascular hosted a special First Responder event at the Tucson Heart Center on River Road offering CT Calcium Scores at a reduced cost to our community’s First Responders.
A cardiac CT calcium score, also known as a coronary calcium scan, is a quick, convenient, and noninvasive way of evaluating the amount of calcified (hard) plaque in your heart vessels. The level of calcium equates to the extent of plaque build-up in your arteries. Plaque in the arteries can cause heart attacks. A calcium scan is very useful if there’s uncertainty about a person’s risk of heart disease or the need for statins.
“The lifetime risk of developing CAD is estimated to be 49 percent in men and 32 percent in women. Therefore, identifying CAD early on with screening tools such as CT calcium score is imperative for prevention.” – Nader Makki, MD, Pima Heart and Vascular
Pima Heart and Vascular and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department recognize that First Responders have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Professional first responders already have high-risk, high-stress jobs. When left unaddressed, personal cardiovascular and metabolic health risks lead to unnecessary early deaths, poorer job performance, & lower quality post-service health. At Pima Heart & Vascular, we care about public health and were honored to host this event as a way to thank First Responders for their service to our community.
“Heart disease is the #1 killer in Law Enforcement. As a 23+yr Law Enforcement Officer and a multiple heart attack survivor, I recognize the need for early intervention. This event is a great opportunity for members of the Pima County’s Sheriff’s Department to change this trend. Thank you, Pima Heart and Vascular.” – Sergeant Hans Goritz, Pima County Sheriff’s Department