Panasonic CardioHealth Station aims to complement traditional blood pressure and cholesterol measurement in physicians’ offices and to help detect the hidden risk of heart attack and stroke.

The CardioHealth Station includes a handheld ultrasound probe to scan the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck and to detect hidden plaque buildup and increased thickness in the artery wall.

Testing is performed in a matter of minutes without pain, discomfort or exposure to radiation; and the results are available immediately.

CardioNexus president and CEO Morteza Naghavi said the CardioHealth report which combines Framingham Risk Score with carotid IMT and plaque assessment provides a more accurate assessment of a patient’s risk than measuring blood pressure and cholesterol alone.