Screening Low-Risk Individuals for Coronary Artery Disease

A large proportion of cardiovascular events occur in individuals classified by traditional risk factors as “low-risk.” Efforts to improve early detection of coronary artery disease among low-risk individuals, or to improve risk assessment, might be justified by this large population burden. The most promising tests for improving risk assessment, or early detection, include the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, the ankle-brachial index (ABI), and the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Data regarding the role of additional testing in low-risk populations to improve early detection or to enhance risk assessment are sparse but suggest that CAC and ABI may be helpful for improving risk classification and detecting the higher-risk people from among those at lower risk. However, in the absence of clinical trials in this patient population, such as has recently been proposed, we do not recommend routine use of any additional testing or screening in low-risk individuals at this time.