Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT)
Our office is proud to be partnered with CardioRisk Labs, the forerunner in preventive cardiac screening, to offer CIMT scans to anyone in the DMV area.
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT)
A CIMT scan is an ultrasound of the carotid arteries, performed to measure both the thickness of the arterial walls and plaque burden.
Studies have shown a strong correlation between carotid health and cardiovascular health.
Our office is proud to be partnered with CardioRisk Labs, the forerunner in preventive cardiac screening, to offer CIMT scans to anyone in the DMV area.
We are firm believers in the benefits of having this quick test done at least annually to monitor early signs of the risk of a cardiac event. This test takes 10 minutes to complete and requires no prior preparation.
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT)
The “Pregnancy Test of Heart Disease”- picks up heart attacks before they happen
Who Should Get Tested?
- We believe that any adult over 30 should have a baseline CIMT.
- Adults concerned about their risk of heart disease.
- Adults with a family history of heart disease, including: heart attack, bypass heart surgeries, stents or blockages, strokes, aneurysms, poor circulation, dementia (vascular dementia is the 2nd most common type of dementia), diabetes, and obesity.
- Adults with present or historical traits of the traditional causes of heart disease: abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and smoker status.
- Adults with any cardiovascular disease: prior heart attack or stroke, history of stents or angioplasty, prior heart bypass surgery, vascular dementia, peripheral arterial disease in the legs, aneurysm (thoracic or abdominal), atrial fibrillation, enlarged heart, chronic kidney disease, “MILD” plaque found on any screening test like Lifeline testing and Carotid duplex scans, any positive calcium score on a CAC scan, any diseased heart catheterizations, and erectile dysfunction (most common cause is from poor circulation).
- Adults exhibiting poor lifestyle choices such as inadequate sleep, poor diet and regularly dining out, excessive intake of alcohol, lack of exercise, long work hours, high levels of stress.
- Adults with emotional or behavioral conditions such as anxiety, depression, isolation, divorce, and Type-A personality (impatience, aggressiveness, difficulty relaxing).
- Adults with the presence of certain illnesses such as sleep apnea, osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis such as Rheumatoid Arthritis or Psoriatic Arthritis, gout, gallstones, kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, menopausal hot flashes, breast cancer, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), asthma, and poor oral health especially periodontal and endodontic disease.
- Adults with the presence of increased waist circumference, or central adiposity, or increased Body Fat.
- Adults with the presence of fatty liver and abnormal liver tests.
- Adults with physical findings such as increased resting heart rate (>75), consistently increased blood pressure > 120/70, low lean muscle and decreased muscle strength, male pattern baldness, and a diagonal crease on the ear lobes.
- Any adult with evidence of more advanced markers on their labs: elevated glucose and/or insulin resistance, inflammation markers such as CRP and fibrinogen and protein in the urine, high triglycerides and/or low HDL, abnormal size or amount of LDL and HDL particles, any abnormal findings in the comprehensive Cleveland Heart Lab panels, low Omega-3 fats or abnormal Omega-6/3 ratios, elevated homocysteine, low testosterone, low vitamin D, low levels of magnesium, genetic markers such as ApoE4 and MTHFR, and any thyroid disease.
Scheduling your CIMT
Insurance coverage: At Pappas Health, we believe in proactive, personalized, and preventive care that doesn’t depend on the whims of a 3rd party to dictate a “one-size-fits-all” model. It remains unclear if the CIMT is fully covered under all insurance policies; like the aforementioned CAC scan, most insurances do not believe in preventive testing and usually only offer limited coverage. We have had some patients receive full reimbursement from insurance while most receive at least partial reimbursement or an amount put towards their plan deductible.
