Presence of breast arterial calcification on mammography may be a predictor of future heart disease and stroke, suggests a new study reported in the journal Menopause.¹

To investigate this, researchers from the United States recruited 1039 women who underwent screening mammography. The development of CVD and presence of CV risk factors after a follow-up of 10 years were assessed with the help of questionnaires.

Nearly 90% of women did not show breast arterial calcifications on mammography, while in 11% patients, the mammography was positive for the calcifications. After a decade of follow-up, the risk of CAD was found to be 3-folds higher among women with calcifications with odds ratio (OR) of 3.14 and the risk of stroke was increased 5-folds with OR of 5.10 after adjusting for age.

Breast arterial calcifications are often an incidental finding detected on a routine mammography. The demonstration of increased risk of CVD in women with calcifications on mammography highlights its potential role as a noninvasive indicator for future major adverse CV events in asymptomatic women. Such patients should be advised of the association with CVD and evaluated for CV risk followed by implementation of primary preventive measures.

Reference

1. Nudy M, et al. The association between incidentally found breast arterial calcification on routine screening mammography and the development of coronary artery disease and stroke: results of a 10-year prospective study. Menopause: November 1, 2022 - Volume - Issue - 10.1097/GME.0000000000002088. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002088