The first step to investigating your cardiovascular health is getting a baseline to determine if intervention or lifestyle modifications are necessary. But which one is best? The Parkview Heart Institute provided this helpful side-by-side comparison of two of their most popular tests to help you determine the screening that suits your unique needs. 

Key takeaways

While both screenings are recommended for risk factors such as excess weight, high blood pressure and existing vascular disease, a HeartSmart uses a CT scanner (x-ray technology), while vascular screenings use ultrasound and blood pressure cuffs.

A HeartSmart can detect a calcium score, which shows the amount of hard buildup that may be slowing or blocking blood flow to the heart muscle. Vascular screenings indicate abnormal narrowing or widening of vessels, which can be early signs of future blockages of blood flow to the brain or weakening of the vessel walls.

Download the comparison to learn more!