Should CT coronary calcium score be avoided in dialysis patients in light of presumed high prevalence of CAC in this population?
Answer from: at Community Practice
The incidence of coronary calcifications in patients on dialysis exceeds 80% and is between 50-80% in patients with CKD. In addition, dialysis and ESRD cause two types of vascular calcification - in the medial and intimal layers, the latter being the one that correlates best with atherosclerotic pla...
Short answer, CT coronary calcium is likely beneficial only in select situations in dialysis patients. There are a couple of things to consider in answering this question:
Do they have an alternative indication for preventive therapy (statin +/- ASA)?; and
Independent of dialysis, what is the ri...