Current methodologies for screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) at the primary care provider’s office are often limited. And once heart disease is suspected or identified by these methods, patients must often be referred to a specialist for potentially unnecessary tests and procedures.
The flaws within this system are in the lack of clarity of early CAD screening methods and the over-reliance on the cardiac catheter lab to accurately measure atherosclerosis. Cleerly offers a personalized care pathway for heart attack prevention that is non-invasive and explicit, with a detailed analysis that both provider and patient can understand. Our CCTA-enabled analysis allows you, the provider, to own the journey of heart disease management from start to finish. Our reporting is based on clinical research and AI-enabled technology that has been shown to be as accurate as multiple current methods for diagnosis, quantification, and characterization of CAD.1
Use of Cleerly’s precision heart approach can enable providers to improve patient care and satisfaction, as well as manage early stages of CAD without unnecessary and expensive invasive procedures, both of which can enhance the quality of patient care in a competitive healthcare marketplace.
Seventy percent of all patients who will suffer a heart attack are considered “low risk” by traditional measures such as cholesterol or blood pressure,2 and nearly half show no symptoms.3 These indirect markers of heart health can’t identify the presence of high-risk arterial plaque, the greatest indicator of future heart attack risk, which is shown through Cleerly’s CCTA-enabled analysis.
Cleerly adds value to your practice by providing accurate testing that you can use to inform ongoing and personalized treatment. Additionally, with Cleerly’s compare feature, you can easily compare the results from two different CCTA scans to see how the levels of plaque in a patient’s arteries have changed over time. This allows you to make educated decisions about the best course of treatments for your patients, and helps patients comprehend how their decisions have a direct impact on their long-term health.
Nearly two of three referrals for invasive evaluation of the heart are unnecessary,4 and roughly half of all stent placements in stable patients are either definitely or possibly inappropriate.5 CCTAs with Cleerly analysis are not only noninvasive, but are also just as or more accurate than other heart disease diagnostic methods.6
In addition to saving your patient from undergoing a potentially unneeded procedure, Cleerly can help reduce cost for patients who don’t need invasive testing. When a CCTA with Cleerly was used as a gatekeeper for other procedures, it allowed for a reduction of up to 95% in the need for invasive catheterization in stable patients with suspected CAD7 – a procedure that can easily cost a patient thousands.
Cleerly’s precision heart care approach includes clinically actionable, personalized reporting and analysis. Color-coded images depict the exact location, type and volume of plaque that is present and makes it easily understandable for both provider and patient.
Our report also uses a four-tiered plaque-burden staging system that rates atherosclerosis from normal, mild, moderate to severe plaque. This data allows providers to have a more proactive, rather than reactive, approach to cardiovascular care, as treatment options for lower-level stages of CAD may include lifestyle changes or medications as opposed to unnecessary and expensive invasive procedures.
Patients who subscribe to a private practice care model are often looking to their providers to think one step ahead and to prioritize disease prevention. Cleerly empowers providers to give patients more insight into the true health of their hearts in a way that is noninvasive, effective and in line with patient lifestyles. To learn more about Cleerly's science and how we can supplement your care practice, download our report, Precision heart care’s role in supporting the business of healthcare.
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References:
1. CT Evaluation by Artificial Intelligence for Atherosclerosis, Stenosis and Vascular Morphology (CLARIFY): A Multi-center, international study. Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (JCCT). June 3, 2021.
2. Preventing Myocardial Infarction in the Young Adult in the First Place. JACC. May 2003.
3. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2019 Update. American Heart Association. Jan. 31, 2019
4. Low Diagnostic Yield of Elective Coronary Angiography. New England Journal of Medicine. March 11, 2010
5. Trends in U.S. Cardiovascular Care: 2016 Report from 4 ACC National Cardiovascular Data Registries. JACC. March 2017.
6. CT Evaluation by Artificial Intelligence for Atherosclerosis, Stenosis and Vascular Morphology (CLARIFY): A Multi-center, international study. Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (JCCT). June 3, 2021.
7. AI-QCT: Gatekeeper For Invasive Angiography? CONSERVE Sub-Study. JCCT. July 1, 2022.