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What would you do in my situation? Should I be worried?
I'm 6 foot (see weight details below) currently I'm 53.
I've been on a statin for the last 25 years and it keeps my cholesterol under check nicely.
I exercise regularly (i.e. I walk 100+ miles a month), I eat good food but do over-eat. I live in California where the summer fruits are so good I can't help but eat alot of them!
As part of turning 50, I did the usual battery of tests including doing a heart stress test that was fine. But I asked to do a Calcium Heart Scan and the results aren't awful, but they are a bit disturbing given my age and that I'm in the 88 percentile! Cardiologist and I are meeting soon but he's a hands off kind of person who needs to be prodded a bit (i.e. I had to prod him to do the Calcium Heart Scan).
FINDINGS: Agatston Coronary Calcium Score:
LMA: 0
LAD: 144
LCX: 8
RCA: 0
Total: 152
Percentile: 88%
The coronary arteries arise from the expected sinuses of Valsalva. Moderate coronary artery calcification. The coronary artery calcium score defined by Agatston amounts to 152. The estimated probability of a non-zero calcium score for a white Male of age 53 is 50%. The Agatston score is 152, which places the patient at the 88th percentile adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity based on the MESA trial cohort. CARDIOVASCULAR FINDINGS: Vessels: Aorta and pulmonary artery are not significantly dilated. Heart and Pericardium: Normal. Extra-coronary Calcification: None
My high-school weight was 170
Ages 20-35 I kept my weight under 200 pounds.
Ages 35-45 I shot up to 240 pounds.
Ages 45-53 (current age) I'm back around 190.
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This is what I assumed, but as I said, I haven't gone looking for an interpretation. Thanks for clearing that up. It rings true, and seems the most reasonable.
88%ile would be higher than 87 % of the population.
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1 ReactionI would love to know the answer to your question! Does it put you in a high-risk with a low risk at 88%?
Yes, I went back and forth between 87 and 88, and eventually put 88. It's high risk with either number. 🙂
High risk. 88th means you have *more* plaque than 87% of the group. That's bad, not good.
If you were in the first percentile, then 99% of the group has more plaque than you, which is a good thing for you.
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2 ReactionsThe way percentile works (x%ile) is that each percentile number represents a small line on a ruler of sorts, like 1/16" (" = 'of an inch'). On a standard normal distribution curve, also known as a Bell curve, the area below each point, or percentile mark, on the curve represents a small portion of the population. The whole area under the curve line LEFT OF any one vertical line dropping down to the X axis from one of the %ile marks is 'lesser' than what is being measured on the whole population. So, for example, you see a Bell curve. You pick a point along that curve, it might be the 54%ile, and you draw a vertical line down from that point to the X axis. That thin line is all the people, out of the entire population represented under the curve (could be a curve dealing with 'all people at risk for an infarction due to deposition of atherosclerotic plaque), who fall into the single %ile of 54. Now, you look left of that thin line, and there is a large area under the curve. That area holds all the people who fall in the 53%ile, the 52%ile, the 51%ile, and so on down to the 1%ile. There is no '0' (zero) percentile because there is no 'nobody' represented under the curve....only live people.
To the right of your thin vertical line fall all the 55%ile, 56%ile, and on up to the 99%ile. There is no 100%ile because, again, there is no 'nobody' outside of every body added into what comprises all 99% of living bodies who would have to be alive in order to assign any risk to them.
I hope that all makes sense. Whew! Haven't dealt with that in 40 years.
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1 ReactionHi
After my stroke - embolic and on Day 4 I was taken down in the dungeon for a carotid arteries scan.
They were all CLEAR.
But the scanner said 2 for the price of 1 .. "ooh you have a shadow on your thyroid!"
Hence the diagnosis after biopsy of a Papillary Thyroid Camcer a 17mm x 7mm carcinoma in the right lobe of the thyroid.
88% is so high. Sounds as though a mediterean diet will help you.
CHERI joy (tuckie)
Just had my 9th Covid injection. A new variant.
I've been on a statin for 27 years (currently early 50s). For the first 15 years I took it more often than not, but now I take it religiously every day.
My cardiologist prescribed me Crestor and my HDL is above 50 my LDL below 100 now.
I did a calcium heart scan and it came back with;
"Agatston Coronary Calcium Score:
LMA: 0
LAD: 144
LCX: 8
RCA: 0
Total: 152
Percentile: 88%
CARDIOVASCULAR FINDINGS:
Vessels: Aorta and pulmonary artery are not significantly dilated.
Heart and Pericardium: Normal.
Extra-coronary Calcification: None."
So the percentile is high but the finding are nothing too serious.
He says to just on keep on keeping on. No changes except baby asprin. He even said I could keep on eating red meat, cheese etc as the 153 reading is due to the last 10 years and the next 10 years is going to be better due to being on a stronger statin.
2nd opinion or not?
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1 ReactionSecond opinion. Please research statins and dementia, diabetes, etc.
There is no definitive link between statins and dementia, and in fact some studies have shown the opposite.
Hello @guyrien, I combined you new discussion with your existing discussion:
"What would you do in my situation? Should I be worried?"
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-would-you-do-in-my-situation-should-i-be-worried/
Here you met @gloaming, @manuelpo, @mikekennedy759 and @sandrajane who all shared their experiences with you and can continue your health journey conversation here.
@guyrien, did you raise any concerns with what your current provider said about any health changes or not needing to make dietary changes? If you were to ask if it could help to change your diet even incrementally, do you think you would be supported with some data or suggestions?
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