Major clinical trial suggests heart scans could improve statin adherence while reducing prescriptions

A significant clinical trial involving nearly 5,800 adults found that using heart scans to measure calcium buildup in arteries resulted in the same observed rate of major cardiovascular events as traditional risk assessments, despite recommending statins to far fewer patients. Notably, patients advised to take statins based on their scans were nearly three times more likely to adhere to their medication. The findings, presented at ESC Congress 2026, raise questions about current guidelines for identifying and treating heart disease risk, though further studies are needed to confirm the scan-guided approach's overall effectiveness.