Early Cardiovascular Disease Detection Program

Specialists at the Early Cardiovascular Disease Detection Program, a part of NYU Langone’s Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, detect cardiovascular disease at its earliest stages.

This program is for people who have no perceptible signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease, and for healthy-appearing individuals with a family history of cardiovascular disease.

During a visit to our offices and facilities, providers use advanced diagnostic tools to screen for early signs of abnormalities in the heart and vascular system—ranging from the tiniest blood vessels, known as capillaries, to the aorta, the largest vessel in the body. These abnormalities can be difficult to detect with standard screenings.

Our cardiologists review test results with you at a follow-up telemedicine appointment and may recommend that you see a preventive cardiologist, who can create a tailored intervention plan to help decrease your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

An Advanced, Noninvasive Evaluation

Our patients complete the following noninvasive testing with a cardiology physician assistant:

• pulse wave velocity: measures how fast blood pressure waves—the rhythmic pulses created when your heart pumps—travel through the arteries; this test can help assess artery stiffness
• ankle brachial index: compares blood pressure in the ankle to blood pressure in the arm; it helps doctors check blood flow and detect signs of plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) in the legs
• coronary artery calcium scoring: a CT scan that checks for calcium buildup in the arteries supplying blood to the heart—the more calcium present, the higher the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease
• retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT): a unique way to screen for early evidence of vascular disease within the eye
• sublingual glycocalyx microscopy: assesses early markers of cardiovascular risk in the glycocalyx, a protective membranous protein layer that lines the inner portion of the blood vessels

Patients also complete blood work during a separate visit to a clinical laboratory. These two tests are included:

• high sensitivity troponin, which measures tiny amounts of troponin, a protein released when the heart muscle is under stress or has been damaged
• NT-proBNP, which measures the protein fragment N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide, which is made by the heart when it is under stress; high levels can be a sign of heart failure or other heart conditions

Test results can help inform your care plan. Results also provide our cardiologists with data about early signs of cardiovascular disease, a growing field of research.

A Self-Pay Program

The Early Cardiovascular Disease Detection Program is a self-pay program with a single up-front cost that is collected at the beginning of your visit. The program has no involvement with medical insurance.