*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****
Hi Gookelley, thank you for your question. Here is an answer from Dr. Marie Savard, ABC Medical News Contributor:

"Gookelley, you do have a strong family history of premature heart disease which means heart disease occurring at a young age. I too would suggest you talk to your doctor about controlling all of your risk factors as best you can. Your blood pressure should be under 120/80, your LDL under 100, blood glucose under 100 and your CRP under 1.0. Diet and exercise (and possibly adding aspirin, especially for men) can go a long way to make this happen but with your history, I think talking to your doctor about an additional heart test to gauge whether you have heart plaque build up would make sense. Unfortunately insurance companies are not yet paying for most ultrafast CAT scans to check calcium score although this may change soon. Some radiologists will discount the fee is you are paying out of pocket but this can still be expensive. Your insurance would almost certainly pay for a stress test however this is not always reassuring, even if normal, when the history of heart disease is so strong. A heart ultrasound during a stress test can also be of help. I would agree with your concern for further testing and would suggest you let your doctor know your history and concerns and desire for additional tests.

I hope all turns out well for you.

Dr. Marie"

To watch the news piece where Dr. Marie Savard discusses the Battle Against Heart Disease, please go to http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7206382

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

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