Does showing heart scans encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle and take their medicine?

Effect of computed tomography coronary angiography on life-style and risk factor modification (Dr Mohammed Meah)

Coronary heart disease occurs when the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood become narrowed by fatty deposits. Cardiovascular risk scores indicate the likelihood of a person developing coronary heart disease. Currently, risk scores are the standard tool used for prevention of the disease; people at high risk are advised to make lifestyle changes and/or are offered medication. However, the true effectiveness of risk scores at preventing heart disease is unknown. They can also lead to over– or under-treatment of some people. Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) is a fast, non-invasive imaging technique that uses x-rays to look at the coronary arteries. Results from a clinical trial (SCOT-HEART) suggested that people who received CTCA had a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease, versus those who received standard care and risk assessment through traditional risk scores. Dr Michelle Williams is leading a project to find out if CTCA scans are better than risk scores for encouraging people to lead a healthy lifestyle, take their medication, and receive the most appropriate treatment. She will use data from both the completed SCOT-HEART and ongoing SCOT-HEART 2 clinical trials. Dr Williams will also find out if showing people pictures of their coronary arteries is more effective than merely telling them the results. This research will help inform us how we can best prevent and diagnose coronary heart disease.