Understand Abnormal Calcium Score (CAC), also known as Coronary Artery Calcification or Coronary Calcium Score. This page provides information on CAC scoring, its role in assessing coronary artery disease risk, and relevant clinical documentation and medical coding considerations for healthcare professionals. Learn about the importance of accurate calcium scoring interpretation and its implications for patient care.
Also known as
Other specified abnormal findings
This code captures other abnormal findings not classified elsewhere.
Atherosclerotic heart disease
This code represents coronary atherosclerosis, often related to calcium buildup.
Abnormal calcium level
While broader, this code can indicate abnormal calcium, including in arteries.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the CAC documented as incidental?
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Calcium buildup in heart arteries. |
| Narrowing of heart arteries. |
| Chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart. |
Using incorrect CPT or ICD-10 codes for coronary artery calcification, leading to claim denials.
Insufficient documentation of CAC results, impacting accurate coding and reimbursement.
Lack of clear medical necessity for CAC testing, increasing audit risk and potential recoupment.
Q: How does an abnormal calcium score impact coronary artery disease risk stratification in asymptomatic patients?
A: An abnormal calcium score, particularly a score above zero, signifies the presence of coronary artery calcification and is a strong independent predictor of future cardiovascular events, even in asymptomatic patients. While a zero calcium score indicates a low risk of coronary artery disease events in the near term, a higher score reflects a greater atherosclerotic burden and corresponds to a progressively elevated risk. This information allows for more precise risk stratification beyond traditional factors and facilitates personalized preventive strategies. For example, patients with high calcium scores may benefit from more aggressive risk factor modification, including lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy. Consider implementing calcium scoring into your risk assessment workflow for asymptomatic patients to improve cardiovascular risk prediction and guide treatment decisions. Explore how our platform integrates calcium score data for comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessments.
Q: What are the best practices for interpreting and communicating coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores with patients to improve adherence to preventive measures?
A: Effectively communicating CAC score results to patients requires clear, non-alarmist language and personalized context. Explain that a CAC score reflects the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries and serves as an indicator of future cardiovascular risk, not an immediate threat. Emphasize that even with a high CAC score, lifestyle modifications and other preventive measures can significantly reduce their risk of future heart attack or stroke. Connect the CAC score to their individual risk factors, and provide specific recommendations for lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise, and smoking cessation. If indicated, discuss the potential benefits of pharmacotherapy like statins or aspirin. Patients are often more motivated to adhere to preventive measures when they understand their personal risk and the potential impact of lifestyle choices. Learn more about effective patient communication strategies for CAC scores and explore resources to aid in shared decision-making.
Patient presents for cardiovascular risk assessment due to family history of coronary artery disease. The patient is asymptomatic with no current complaints of chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations. A coronary artery calcium scan (CAC), also known as a coronary calcium score or abnormal calcium score, was ordered to assess for subclinical atherosclerosis. The Agatston score was determined to be [Insert Score]. This result indicates [Interpretation of Score: e.g., mild, moderate, severe, or no coronary artery calcification]. This finding has been documented in the patient's electronic health record (EHR) and will be used to guide further management decisions. Patient counseling regarding the significance of the coronary artery calcification score and its implications for cardiovascular risk was provided. Lifestyle modifications including diet, exercise, and smoking cessation were discussed. The patient's risk factors, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and family history, were reviewed. Follow-up appointments were scheduled for further cardiovascular risk stratification and management according to current clinical guidelines. ICD-10 code [Insert appropriate ICD-10 code, e.g., R93.6 for abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of heart] and CPT code [Insert appropriate CPT code, e.g., 71110 for cardiac CT calcium scoring] were used for billing and coding purposes.