4,400 Calcium Plaque Score

Hello, and welcome. I don't understand why you would be asked to consider taking a beta blocker. If you don't experience tachycardia, especially supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), then the palpitations you feel (it's the descriptive term the medical system uses for what the patient feels, not a diagnosis of why the patient feels 'palpitations.') might only be PACs, and they are benign. PACs are 'premature atrial complexes/contractions'. The heart sort of misses a beat, and then compensates with a powerful one that you feel as a thump. If you feel lots of wiggling and many little bumps, there's a strong possibility you are fibrillating...an irregularly irregular heart beat that shows no P wave in front of the QRS complex on an ECG, and the R-to-R interval changes all the time...no two in a row have the same timing between them.

My father was 86 when he sought to have a hip replacement. The surgeon felt my dad was a good candidate, but the conscientious part of his training and personality wanted to be sure. He ordered blood tests and a Doppler ultrasound of his heart and carotid arteries. My dad had probably admitted that he, a mining engineer who had made a lot of money for a lot of investors because of his unique problem-solving skills, was slowing down upstairs and showing more confusion. The Doppler showed that he was 100% occluded in his right carotid artery, and a whopping 90% in the left. What I mean for you to take from this is that the decline may be so slow as to go unnoticed, and when it does become noticeable, it's largely too late to do much about it. In his case, the vascular surgeon agreed to try placing a runaround 'stent' comprising a section of an ankle artery in the left side. She told him she wouldn't touch the right side as it was by then a solid mass of old tissue, and it went on for some distance.

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@dobe12 - It is understandable to have your head spinning with so much new information and diagnoses. I'd like to invite @heycal who also had a Calcium Score over 4,000 to share how they are currently doing and what their experiences are/were. @calongi1000 and @alaskat have also discussed high calcium scores and may be able to share some of their experiences in regards to what you are going through as well.

@dobe12, do you have any follow-up appointments to further discuss what you are experiencing?

Thank you for both replies. I forgot to mention that I wore a Holter monitor twice. Each time for 24 hours. While wearing the monitor, I did experience heart palpitations, as I do every day. The cardiologist said nothing abnormal was picked up. The palpitations feel like the heart is beating rapidly but not irregularly. He still thinks they're benign, but every day for almost 2 years is a long time.

But my main concern is the extensive plaque buildup. I do occasionally feel very mild (1 on scale of 1-10) chest discomfort, especially when I wake up and try to go back to sleep. Other than that, no symptoms.

I do have an appointment with the cardiologist later this month. But it's an appointment I set up because I have so many questions. There would be no further follow up if I hadn't requested the appt.

But to be fair, these tests have been done:

Cardiac Catheterization

EKG 12 or more leads

X-ray chest, PA and lateral

Echocardiogram stress test, CV

Transthoracic echo

CT heart scan

Treadmill stress test

Holter Monitor

I don't know if there are any other tests I should request?

I am interested in the answers to these questions:

Given my low BP #'s, is it a mistake for me not to take Bisoprolol as the Dr. suggested?

With such a high calcium score what does it mean that I don't have more symptoms, like being out of breath when I exercise or experiencing chest pain. As I said I do have occasional very mild chest discomfort.

Also, what does it mean that I have such a low BNP (40) with such a massive calcium buildup? Since I'm 71, Dr thinks I've had the buildup for many many years.

Finally, is it unusual to have such a very low calcium score (8.7) with such a massive calcium buildup?

I would like to hear from @heycal, @calongi1000, @alaskat

Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it!

Hi folks, here's an update: I was asympomatic when I scored over 4000. My doctor's were concerned, but after a successful nuclear stress trest and echocardiogram, the only recommendation was to increase my statins and eat better and let them know if I develop any symptoms. I've done the former, reducing my LDL from 73-55, and ignored the eat better part.

They said some people score high and have no blockages, some score very low and do have blockages.

And that's pretty much it. There are no symptoms, no lifestyle restrictions, etc. So I'm just living my life and spending much less time thinking about calcium score!

Wow, 4000. And I thought mine was high at 1000. I am in pretty much the same situation, some palpitations, no overt symptoms, fairly low BP, varying between 115 and 135 or so. Your sentence below is why this is all so frustrating. They don't seem to really know exactly how the calcium score correlates to the actual condition of our coronary arteries or to long term outcomes.

"They said some people score high and have no blockages, some score very low and do have blockages."

Sounds like you got all your tests covered just watch your Bisoprolol. It make my np drop too much and I passed out. My doctor just increased my statins to 20 mg of creator due to my high calcium score. Just watch your diet no red meat and more veggies and fruits. Stay strong I think you are on the right path. Take care

Thank you for the comments. Getting light-headed or passing out is what I'm worried about If I start taking Bisoprolol, given my already low BP.