08/10/2026
❤️ Could Your Mammogram Reveal More Than Breast Cancer?
A new Maryland law could help women recognize an important warning sign for heart disease.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there’s an important development in women’s health that I believe deserves our attention.
What if your routine mammogram could also reveal a warning sign for heart disease?
Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland became the first state to require mammography centers to notify women when their mammograms reveal breast arterial calcification (BAC)—calcium deposits in the arteries of the breast.
Why does this matter?
Because research suggests these deposits may be an early warning sign of increased cardiovascular risk.
❤️ Here’s the statistic that should get our attention.
Research highlighted by the American Heart Association found that women with breast arterial calcification were:
🔴 51% more likely to develop heart disease or experience a stroke than women without the finding.
🔴 23% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease overall, including heart failure and peripheral artery disease.
These are increases in relative risk, not predictions of an individual woman’s likelihood of developing disease.
And here’s something important: Breast arterial calcification is not breast cancer, and it does not automatically mean you have blocked coronary arteries.
But it may be a reason to take a closer look at your cardiovascular health.
🩺 What about a coronary artery calcium scan?
This is where another important development comes into the picture.
The 2026 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association cholesterol guidelines expand the use of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans to help identify cardiovascular risk.
A CAC scan is a quick, noninvasive CT scan that looks for calcified plaque in the arteries supplying your heart.
The guidelines recommend considering CAC scans for:
❤️ Women age 45 and older
❤️ Men age 40 and older
Specifically, when a person has borderline or intermediate cardiovascular risk and the results could help determine whether cholesterol-lowering treatment is appropriate.
Here’s the important distinction: Finding calcification on a mammogram does not automatically mean a woman needs a CAC scan.
However, the American College of Cardiology recognizes that breast arterial calcification should prompt a discussion about cardiovascular risk—and that a CAC scan may be appropriate in selected cases.
❤️ What should YOU do?
If you’ve had a mammogram recently, consider asking your healthcare provider:
1. Did my mammogram show breast arterial calcification?
2. What does that finding mean for my cardiovascular risk?
3. Should we review my cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and family history?
4. Would a coronary artery calcium scan help us better understand my risk?
5. Have I ever had my Lp(a) checked?
Remember, the 2026 guidelines also recommend that adults have their Lp(a) measured at least once to identify inherited cardiovascular risk.
❤️ Detection. Prevention. Action.
At The Heart2Heart Foundation, we’ve spent years encouraging women to understand their cardiovascular risk BEFORE a heart attack or stroke occurs.
This new Maryland law represents another opportunity to identify women who might otherwise never realize they have increased cardiovascular risk.
And during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s an important reminder:
We can—and should—care about BOTH breast health and heart health.
A mammogram might reveal more than we once thought.
The question is: Are we paying attention to what it’s telling us?
❤️ Know your risk. Know your numbers. .
Sources:
* University of Maryland Medical System — Mammograms and Heart Disease Risk
* American College of Cardiology — Mammography as a Window Into Cardiovascular Health
* ACC/AHA — 2026 Cholesterol Guideline Updates
* American Heart Association — Research on Breast Arterial Calcification
