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need feedback based on CT Calcium scores
I am a 50 year old male, height 5'7" weight 157 lbs, no medications ,
non smoker, occassional drinker (one beer or wine in 2 weeks), no serious medical issues, have a family history(parents/grandparents) of heart disease. I exercise once a day (10 min to 1 hr depending on work constraints)
I got a CT scan Calcium test done today.
Left Main: 0
Left Anterior Descending: 134
Left Circumflex: 0
Right Coronary Artery: 1
Posterior Descending Artery: 0
The total coronary calcium score is 135.
Thoracic aorta size was normal, and within the specified range.
Lipid score: attached. overall on the low side.
My LDL and triglycerides are low. Total cholesterol is 176 mg/dL. tryglycerides < 35 mg/dL. I have not taking any statins until now.
Question: Any ideas or suggestions on reducing or reversing calcification of arteries? can you pls provide an opinion on my score?
NMR Lipid scores were
LDL-P = 711
LDL-C = 88
HDL-C =67
Tryglycerides= 41
Colestrol=164
HDL-P=29.4
Small LDL-P=131
LDL size=21.2
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The calcium scores are to be interpreted like one does when shown an image. It's a snapshot taken in an instant. It tells you nothing about what took place even seconds prior to the image being taken, nor does it indicate what is to follow, or what DID follow. A calcium score is much the same. It says this is what was extant at the time/date code in the EXIF data of the image...or equivalent.
Many have high scores, and it bears monitoring and perhaps some wise prophylaxis. It does NOT indicate that you are in danger, certainly not imminent danger. It would have to reveal more than a substantial narrowing or deposition. It would have to show dangerous levels, something like 80% occlusion in a carotid or cardiac artery, perhaps more. Also, such levels of atherosclerosis tend to have some recent history of symptoms, such as poor working memory, poor judgement and cognitive function, and even failing eyesight (suddenly finding that your vision is more tunnel-like, with darker borders that are closing on on the image your brain depicts for you).
As far as I know, and I'm by no means well-read on this topic, there is little you can do to 'reverse' deposition. YouTube is replete with all sorts of gurus in health who claim to have the ultimate guide to ridding oneself of deposition of plaque, but I have my doubts because there is so much variation between them about what works and what will not. Caveat emptor. Instead, stabilizing what is extent is likely to be the best bet, at least for now, and maybe a serious consideration must be given to surgery if the occlusions are serious. By stabilizing deposition already in place I mean going on a prescribed statin.
You will get other comments, so please give them as much credence as you do mine.
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Hug
1 ReactionAt first glance, you are doing fine.
Work on keeping LDL below 50 ish, total around 100 ish - genetics play a role.
My sense is that you probably meet the criteria for statins - one effect of statins is they will calcify plaque - a good thing. And, to my sense and reading, no one has ever reported a decrease in calcium on their scoring. It can be slowed by a variety of actions, but not reversed - at least thus far this is where our understanding is.