March 16, 2022
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Mammograms have been used to detect breast cancer, but they also may help doctors identify a woman's heart disease risk, a new study finds.
A mammogram may not only detect breast cancer, but it also may have the potential to alert women to an increased risk of heart disease, researchers say.
Women whose mammograms show breast arterial calcifications – the buildup of calcium in the arteries of the breasts – were 51% more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke compared to women without calcifications, a new study found.
The women with calcifications also were 23% more likely to develop any type of heart or vascular condition including heart disease, stroke and heart failure.
Heart disease and breast cancer are among the leading causes of death among women. The study's findings suggest mammograms could be used to help prevent both conditions.
"If future research shows that (breast arterial calcificatoin) improves heart disease risk prediction among women not yet on cholesterol-lowering medications, breast arterial calcification could serve as a powerful tool to help guide heart disease prevention for the millions of women who undergo routine mammography each year," Dr. Natalie Avella Cameron, an instructor at Northwestern University, wrote in an editorial accompanying the study.
This type of calcification is different from that seen with high cholesterol or smoking, which occurs in the inner layer of arteries.
Women should be counseled on their overall heart disease risk, study author Dr. Carlos Iribarren, a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, told U.S. News & World Report. He noted the breast arterial calcification is "not intended to replace any current risk factors."
"For women with low risk, breast arterial calcification presence should be a trigger of adhering to healthy lifestyles including a heart-healthy diet, avoiding smoking and exercising regularly," he said.
"For women with intermediate-risk, breast arterial calcification should also prompt a discussion with the doctor about initiating treatment for risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes that are not well controlled by lifestyle alone."
It is important to note that women without calcium build-up on their breast arteries can still develop heart disease. Other risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.
For the study, the researchers analyzed the health records of more than 5,000 women ages 60-79 who had undergone one or more mammograms. None of the women had a history of heart disease or breast cancer.
