1. < Heart & Blood Health

Calcium score

Posted by cindycossen @cindycossen, Apr 6 7:47pm

I have been on 40 mg simvastatin for years with a low dose aspirin. My cholesterol is well under control in fact my HDL is 88 my triglycerides are perfect. My mom had a stent put in her LAD artery when she was 70 due to about 80% blockage.
About 8 years ago I had a calcium store test and it was 21 and a couple years later I had another one and it went to 49 and then two years later it went to 69 but the doctor, my cardiologist said no concern and some of the plaque was in my lad artery I have cardiophobia I am petrified. And just last week he said for peace of mind, from my peace of mind why don't I get the CAT scan that shows if there's blockage in my arteries but to say that and not tell me to go ahead and do that it doesn't seem like he's concerned?

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missey | @missey | Apr 8 8:49am
In reply to @cindycossen "5'5" 144 put on about 20 lb since last year due to my osteo arthritis on..." + (show)
@cindycossen

5'5" 144 put on about 20 lb since last year due to my osteo arthritis on my lower back hips Don't Spurs and bulging discs I was not able to exercise now I'm back on the treadmill I was too thin before
Trying to find my latest blood work which was many months ago my HDL was 88 my LDL I believe was 60 something my triglycerides were in the 60s and my overall cholesterol I believe was 180

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Those numbers look very good but I am not a doctor. If there are heart problems in the family, they like to get your LDL under 50 and there are easy ways to do that with medication such as Zetia Which would probably lower it another 4% for you. Diet and exercise are really important.

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cindycossen | @cindycossen | Apr 8 9:14am

I've been on 40 mg of Statin and a low dose aspirin for years now. I appreciate your response

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1 reply
mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Apr 8 4:46pm
In reply to @cindycossen "I've been on 40 mg of Statin and a low dose aspirin for years now. I..." + (show)
@cindycossen

I've been on 40 mg of Statin and a low dose aspirin for years now. I appreciate your response

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So, given that one would expect higher than normal CAC score.

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njx58 | @njx58 | Apr 8 5:16pm
In reply to @cindycossen "So the narrowing cannot cause a heart attack" + (show)
@cindycossen

So the narrowing cannot cause a heart attack

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Heart attacks happen when blood supply to the heart is interrupted, causing damage to the muscle. The main way this happens is if plaque breaks off and causes a blood clot.

Narrowing of the arteries itself isn't the issue as long as blood is flowing, but narrowing is a result of plaque, so that can be a problem if nothing is done.

Aerobic exercise helps expand the arteries and strengthen the heart.

Besides statins, baby aspirin (or blood thinners) help prevent clots.

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1 reply
cindycossen | @cindycossen | Apr 8 5:22pm
In reply to @njx58 "Heart attacks happen when blood supply to the heart is interrupted, causing damage to the muscle...." + (show)
@njx58

Heart attacks happen when blood supply to the heart is interrupted, causing damage to the muscle. The main way this happens is if plaque breaks off and causes a blood clot.

Narrowing of the arteries itself isn't the issue as long as blood is flowing, but narrowing is a result of plaque, so that can be a problem if nothing is done.

Aerobic exercise helps expand the arteries and strengthen the heart.

Besides statins, baby aspirin (or blood thinners) help prevent clots.

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I've been walking on the treadmill about 35 to 40 minutes every day. I can't do aerobics because of the osteoarthritis in my lower back hips bone spurs and bulging discs.
I eat pretty healthy.
I would imagine there be some symptom if there was a blockage or narrowing yet the cardiologist I was seeing said not necessarily and again said I can get the test done or not it's up to me it's just from my peace of mind. Odd. That was my concern a piece of black breaking off

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1 reply
njx58 | @njx58 | Apr 8 5:58pm
In reply to @cindycossen "I've been walking on the treadmill about 35 to 40 minutes every day. I can't do..." + (show)
@cindycossen

I've been walking on the treadmill about 35 to 40 minutes every day. I can't do aerobics because of the osteoarthritis in my lower back hips bone spurs and bulging discs.
I eat pretty healthy.
I would imagine there be some symptom if there was a blockage or narrowing yet the cardiologist I was seeing said not necessarily and again said I can get the test done or not it's up to me it's just from my peace of mind. Odd. That was my concern a piece of black breaking off

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Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work.

If it gets *really* narrow, that's when you can get shortness of breath and possibly a heart attack. Your heart isn't delivering enough blood (oxygen) to the muscles, so physical exertion gets difficult. My brother had a mild heart attack, and he had a 90% blockage or something like that. They gave him a stent, and now he goes to the gym 3x a week and does plenty of aerobic work.

I have a 40% narrowing in one artery, and I can go jogging for 45 minutes and I feel perfectly fine. I could easily go longer except my knee would act up. 🙂 My cardiologist told me "keep running."

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3 replies
cindycossen | @cindycossen | Apr 8 6:10pm
In reply to @njx58 "Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work. If it gets *really*..." + (show)
@njx58

Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work.

If it gets *really* narrow, that's when you can get shortness of breath and possibly a heart attack. Your heart isn't delivering enough blood (oxygen) to the muscles, so physical exertion gets difficult. My brother had a mild heart attack, and he had a 90% blockage or something like that. They gave him a stent, and now he goes to the gym 3x a week and does plenty of aerobic work.

I have a 40% narrowing in one artery, and I can go jogging for 45 minutes and I feel perfectly fine. I could easily go longer except my knee would act up. 🙂 My cardiologist told me "keep running."

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I'm trying to up it but with the arthritis and the bone spurs it's quite difficult. I'm only doing about 2.6 speed on the treadmill with a slight incline I'm trying for about 35-40 minutes. I'm taking a break tonight and feel guilty because I'm exhausted but I pretty much go every night.

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cindycossen | @cindycossen | Apr 8 6:55pm
In reply to @njx58 "Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work. If it gets *really*..." + (show)
@njx58

Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work.

If it gets *really* narrow, that's when you can get shortness of breath and possibly a heart attack. Your heart isn't delivering enough blood (oxygen) to the muscles, so physical exertion gets difficult. My brother had a mild heart attack, and he had a 90% blockage or something like that. They gave him a stent, and now he goes to the gym 3x a week and does plenty of aerobic work.

I have a 40% narrowing in one artery, and I can go jogging for 45 minutes and I feel perfectly fine. I could easily go longer except my knee would act up. 🙂 My cardiologist told me "keep running."

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I only get my heart rate up to about 108. Starting off slow but I guess
that's good

REPLY
cindycossen | @cindycossen | Apr 8 6:56pm
In reply to @njx58 "Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work. If it gets *really*..." + (show)
@njx58

Walking is fine! Anything that gets your heart rate up will work.

If it gets *really* narrow, that's when you can get shortness of breath and possibly a heart attack. Your heart isn't delivering enough blood (oxygen) to the muscles, so physical exertion gets difficult. My brother had a mild heart attack, and he had a 90% blockage or something like that. They gave him a stent, and now he goes to the gym 3x a week and does plenty of aerobic work.

I have a 40% narrowing in one artery, and I can go jogging for 45 minutes and I feel perfectly fine. I could easily go longer except my knee would act up. 🙂 My cardiologist told me "keep running."

Jump to this post

I do for 10 minutes I stop for a few minutes I start for 10 minutes and so
on

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