Adventist Health Castle on Oahu's Windward side has installed a new CT scanner that can spot heart disease without invasive procedures, good news for Hawaii residents who previously had to travel farther for advanced heart care.

• The new cardiac CT scan detects even tiny amounts of plaque in arteries in about a second, replacing older invasive tests.
• Windward Oahu patients now get this care close to home instead of traveling to Honolulu.
• Heart disease is a leading cause of death in Hawaii, driven by diet, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.
• Warning signs are often subtle: shortness of breath, tiredness, or struggling with hikes and yard work that used to be easy.
• New drugs and procedures now help patients once told their heart disease was too advanced to treat.

Outlook: Doctors recommend cooking at home, avoiding processed food, and 30 minutes of daily activity, with more treatment options expected as heart research continues.