High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

Thank you for the post, muscleriot. I am taking the same dose of K2 from the same manufacturer as did the people who participated in the Rotterdam study. I do understand the importance of calcification in fixing plaque, but the bottom line is the reduced death rate for participants in the study. I am hoping that the hot plaque diminishes somehow, as I reduce the calcium in my arteries. Does anyone know if the amount of uncalcified (if that is a proper term) hot plaque diminishes in time with very low cholesterol?

@mark430- Mark, what is the dose of K2 and the manufacturer you purchase it from? Don't have an answer for you on the uncalcified hot plaque diminishes, but I'm not sure I mentioned this in my earlier post that my cardiologist at Mayo in Scottsdale, AZ. really likes to go after the LDL more than anything and mine was 82 at the time and he put me on 20 ml. of Rosuvastatin (generic for Crestor) and 6 months later all my numbers were even better especially my LDL was at 65. In the past I had always been on 40 ml of the other statins, but he felt lets start here. He was very happy as was I with the results! Jim @thankful

Thankful, I am using 180 mcg of MenaQ7 K2 MK-7 one time per day. I will be getting my blood tests back in a couple of days, but my LDL should be very low. Good luck to you, Thankful.

Hi Everyone, Trying to take a proactive approach to my health after my brothers passing a month and a half ago at age 50, he smoked all his life and did not take care of himself, so I asked my doc about things I could do now he told me about this scan, it was only $75 so I did it got my results and now I am freaking out my score came back Total 831, Left Main 0, LAD 297, Left circumflex 346, RCA 188, Other 0, so my doc said I need to see a Cardiologist asap, I am in pretty good health active workout I am 51 years old, I started combing the net for answers, found this site, reading some of your post seeing other peoples scores and ages has me feeling a little better at least knowing I am not the only one out here, this is scary I am 6'3" 285 so not a small guy, my biggest question is what does all this mean, what can I do, and do any of the doctors from Mayo ever chime in? With advice or whatever, I dont know supposed to see the Cardiologist Thursday, if I make it, and one more thing has anyone ever stabilized or lower there score???

Hi Limogreg. Welcome to the club that no one wants to join. You'll make it to Thursday. Your cardiologist may recommend a cardiac catheterization in order to get a better look at what's going on inside your arteries. If he seems to be not too curious about what's going on in there, then look for another cardiologist the very same day. You may need nothing, a stent, or bypass surgery. Choose a good place for the catheterization because, you may end up having surgery there. Good luck. With some good care, you may have many, many years left.

Limogreg--The cardiologist visit will help to answer many of your questions about your status and recommended treatment. The best things you can do are to lower your modifiable risk factors like diet, exercise, etc. and take a medication to lower your LDL cholesterol if needed. My experience was that I saw a cardiologist after getting a CAC score of 1560 about six months ago. The cardiologist did a stress/echo test, which I passed, indicating that I do not have any blockages > 70%. I already exercise according to American Heart Association guidelines for heart health, but changed my diet to meet the AHA guidelines. The cardiologist put me on a moderate dose statin. Take care and keep us posted about your progress.

I received a 979 CAC Score, passed a stress test but talked my cardiologist into getting me a CT Angiogram. The Angiogram revealed 4 mild 4 moderate and 1 severe blockage (Mid LAD). The severe blockage was not picked up by a stress test.

Pscpetpro--How did they miss the severe blockage on the stress test? Did you get a stent?

I guess it proves that stress tests aren't 100% accurate. I have no symptoms (shortness of breath, angina), blood pressure is good. I did not get a stent, it seems one is more likely to die from a small unstable plaque, than a severe stable plaque. I am going to monitor plaque progression through CT Calcium Scores. I am making changes through diet, supplementation and exercise. I discovered that I have a Ramus Intermedius (an extra artery that comes off of the left main artery). Not sure if this offers any kind of 'advantage'.

Pscpetpro--Yes, in my reading about CAD, the small unstable plaque is more dangerous that calcified plaque. I'm surprised that with a severe blockage you didn't get a stent. My plaque is located in the LAD and circumflex coronary arteries. A 1560 CAC score is a lot of plaque to pack into two arteries.