diagnosed with a high calcium score of 1350

My cardiologist wanted my LDL under 50, so now I’m on 3 drugs to get it there, after a high calcium score

I am going to see my family doctor tomorrow and we will see what she says

I am very surprised that he did not prescribe Repatha epiPen! With the combination of a estimbe. My score was 306. I could not tolerate statins at all. This medication has been fantastic and my LDL is now 40! Did he do a lab test for LPA and also for APOB?… LPA is a marker for familial genetic cholesterol problems and APOB (Aloprotein )is a better marker for heart, disease, stroke, etc. than the cholesterol number. Did he also prescribed you to do a stress test or a Doppler with contrast dye to get the picture of your heart and how your blood vessels are faring? Did he prescribed blood pressure medicine?

Thanks for your insight. I appreciate your feedback. I will be seeing my family doctor tomorrow to review my case . I am glad you are doing well. My cardiologist is very short and doesn’t explain things clearly so I may ask for a second opinion. Thanks again

Your CAC score is very high, and your cardiologist wants to stop any further progression toward ischemia and its most common cause, atherosclerosis. Statins help a great deal, but so would having chosen your parents a little more carefully. Tsk Tsk.

An angiogram will show deposition, where it is, and apparently how much of it is present. So will an echocardiogram and an MRI/CT scan (echo shows blood flow and limitations, the other two show actual deposition via contrast, usually with radio-opaque dye). A MIBI test will involve a CT scan, no caffeine or theobromine from any sources, including anything decaf, eating a meal and drinking about half a liter of fluid of your choice (soda probably a nope and same for alcohol), and then getting on a treadmill running you to your apparent VO2 Max. They inject the dye just before you throw in the towel. March right away back to the CT scanner and you get scanned for a second time. Doppler ultrasound can be used on the carotid arteries easily to get a 'proxy' estimate of whole-body deposition.

One thing, though, is that the CAC is only somewhat predictive of morbidity and longevity. Individual differences show a lot of variance, so don't get panicky.

My reading indicates statins are first line meds, then if intolerance other options are considered - and, since 1000 was already on a statin (although lipid numbers not provided), increasing dosage would normally be next.

1000 - consider advanced lipids panel fir far more info, stress test with echo, peripheral artery scans.

I had a heart CT scan done back in March 2023 and had a score of 2534. Immediately went on 20mg Crestor (a.k.a. Rosuvastatin). My numbers dropped very quickly. I had a physical in March (not related to the heart CT scan), so I had blood work done at that time. Below is a comparison from my results in March 2023 (first set of numbers) vs. June 2023 (having been on Crestor for 3 months at that point):

Tot. cholesterol 221 137
Trig. 69 48
HDL 83 78
LDL Chol 126 48

Mr PCP (primary care physician) suggested I see a cardiologist. My cardiologist ran both an ECG and nuclear stress test, which thankfully came back normal.

I was 61 last year and I'm still asymptomatic. I have my yearly appt. with my cardiologist late this month, so I'll report back anything new.

Best of luck to you. Keep exercising and try to eat write. I know I could do better, but I love my chocolate and occasional sweet tea. Gotta live!

Thanks for sharing your numbers which show how much you have progressed. That encourages me. I just started on 20mg of crest for 4 days. My doctor wants me to stay on this dosage for a few months and then wants to retest me. Keeping my fingers crossed for better numbers. I appreciate your insight and best of luck to you also

Same exact issue with me as well. Dr. wants my LDL below 70 so increased statin from 20 mg to 40 mg. Calcium score was 1100. Currently taking 81 mg aspirin, fish oil and turmeric daily as well. I am 61 and exercise daily. Seems to me the medical profession is not getting to the root cause of the plaque. My research indicates that insulin resistance forces the LDL "bullet" molecules to penetrate the artery wall when they can not longer be processed by the liver.

Hope you get better soon. Take care.