Connect
990 calcium score but all bloodwork, EKG/stress are fine what next?
Hello group,
I'm new to this forum but have read many posts about people with high calcium CT heart scores and steps being taken to reduce risk of heart attack which I greatly appreciate what I've learned from this group.
I'm a 54 year old male and my calcium heart CT done in June 2025 was very high at 991 (LAD 633, RCA 358 and 0 for other 2 arteries) which I was shocked to hear since my blood work and annual physicals have been excellent for years with no indicators of heart disease and no shortness of breath or issues at all. My cholesterol is low at 156 (LDL 81 and HDL 65) and other tests on lipoprotein, apolipoprotein, CRP, blood pressure etc all excellent along with no issues on EKG test and Echo stress test which showed well above average for my age.
I exercise / lift heavier weights 3-4 days per week religiously, never smoke, drink alcohol in moderation and eat a diet primarily focused on lean protein, vegetables with some carbs and fats which has kept my weight at 205lbs and the same for nearly 30 years since college when i was a football player. Also i dont take any supplements aside from a multi-vitamin and have never touched steroids in my life so I am assuming my high calcium score must be genetic as my father had 2 heart surgeries (bypass and stint) but i dont hvae his records to see which arteries those were done on.
After the calcium CT test my doctor put me on 20mg of rosuvastatin which caused significant muscle cramping, dizziness and nausea and impacted my sleep and exercise as i was constantly feeling achy and sore. After the Echo stress test results showed my heart function was normal/above average and no blood flow issues my doctor said to stop the rosuvastatin for 3 weeks and to restart it but on lower dose of 5mg or 10mg. I've been off rosuvastatin for 5 days and i feel fantastic again but am now waiting for my 2nd and 3rd opinion appointments with other cardiologists to better understand whats going on and my options.
My question is - for those with similar high calcium scores especially in the LAD artery (the widow maker as its called) but otherwise all normal/good health profile (low cholesterol, liproproteins, CRP, echo stress test normal) what other tests / steps / medications should I be considering to understand why my CAC and LAD artery score was so high and what can i do to reduce my risk of a heart attack?
thank you and apologies for the long summary here...
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.
Connect
Hi I have just joined this group. I am a 82 year old woman who is fit and lives at 7400 ft. My cholesterol
is low, but my CT Scan came back at 395 and was a total surprise to me. My doc put me on ruvostatin
and it caused severe leg cramps. Now I am on 3 baby aspirin a week and Pravastatin 3 times a week.
I found it to also cause muscle cramps so I stopped taking it. (I have only been on statins for less than
a year.) I think I need a complete heart work-up and will be coming to Arizona in jan-Feb. and living
in Tucson. Meanwhile, I want to stop the statin but maintain the baby aspirin until then. I have sleep
apnea and use a C-Pap at night as well as modern asthma. Durango is a small town and we do have
a Cardiologist here and I have seen her. She recommends the statin /baby aspirin. What do you think?
Advice?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsHi @mecomecozine. There are many other statins you could try. I was initially on Rosuvastatin and it didn't cause cramps, but I couldn't gain any strength and my recovery from exercise was terrible. I am on Atorvastatin now and it's much better. (But I believe it still has an impact, though that is very subjective.)
I believe there is some controversy about statins for certain people. My score was almost 600 in early 60's so I feel like I really have no choice and trying to unravel the science is overwhelming. In the end, given my score and age, I decided I had to trust my cardiologist. In your place, I'd keep trying to find a statin that you can tolerate.
You might be interested in the calculator here: https://internal.mesa-nhlbi.org/about/procedures/tools/mesa-score-risk-calculator It will tell you your coronary versus actual age. But it's just an educated guess of course. I guess CAC is an absolute measure of the size of plaque, but I think your number is better for your age than you might think. FWIW.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThanks so much for the Mesa test. My scores are good and I am feeling much better.
And I will talk to my PCP regarding changing my statins again.
mecozine
Please consider the fact that you may be able to avoid the statins - there are side effects causing additional problems in most cases. The liver is not something to ignore in this decision - I wish I had known more before using a statin and dealing with the subsequent autoimmune hepatitis.! I am not advising you what to do - only suggesting that you must ultimately be in charge of the options presented to you and cardiologist love statins! 🙂
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionMaybe do some research on Vitamin K2, especially if you take Vitamin D. It’s supposed to help get calcium out of the blood and into your bones. Good that you remain healthy and active. Wish you good health.
I'm sorry but I have lost faith in Cardiology in general. In 25% of HA's the first sign is " you just fall over". So why are we being tested forever to access our chances for an MI. Seems like the stress of this is more than most of us can bear. If you have no symptoms, Just get as healthy as you can. lose the extra weight and exercise. Do not worry! We need to be proactive! I have made my health the number one priority and I have taken over the responsibility, instead of relying on a specialist. I now eat one meal a day and walk at 5am every day, and again at sundown. I was over 200lbs and I am now 165. If that is not enough then I am doomed. This month I will turn 70 and I am in the best shape of my life. Doctors need to leave me alone 😉
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI too have a very high calcium score all throughout. Cardiologist has been monitoring me for 2 years with not much intervention except for doubling up my meds. Telling me to exercise and eat right. I have to agree with your statements here and will follow
m58, non-smoke, no abnormal history, CAC score 716. No family history. Atorvastatin gave me muscle aches, headaches and severe acid reflux, now on 20mg Rosuvastatin less pain. I have been taking 400mg of CoQ10…I can tell the difference.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@mecozine hello and thank you for sharing your situation as I had a negative experience with 20mg Rosuvastatin and all the cramping. My "new" cardiologist put me on an injectable statin called Repatha 140/ml which comes in a "pen" form and I inject it every 2 weeks into my thigh or abdomen similar to those diabetic insulin pens. SO far zero side affects and no cramping at all with Repatha which was a pleasant surprise. It is slightly more expensive at $60 per 2 month supply vs the traditional statin pills but for me its been worth it. I also still take the 81mg bayer baby aspirin as a precaution. For 82 your calcium level is actually pretty low (i'm 54 and mine is nearly 1000!!!) but you should also get your cholesterol levels checked especially LDL which is what Repatha will most significantly impact/reduce.
@ordiver1 glad to hear your feeling better on the statin switch as I had the same symptoms you had but was on rosuvastatin which for you isnt giving you any issues. i am now on Repatha 140/ml injectable and have been very pleased to not experience any side affects after the first couple months of taking it every 2 weeks. I also take the CoQ10 / Ubiquitol and seems to be helping a little bit as i have no cramping after my workouts.