High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

I completely understand how you are feeling as I went through this about 9 months ago. My bloodwork has always been fine and in normal ranges. I just happened to mention to my doctor about a scan just to see and it came back 1160. Freaked out and with every little twinge, it was the end. Saw a cardiologist and she ordered at PET scan which came back completely normal. No blockage or issues. I took this as a second chance and have completely altered my lifestyle. Diet and exercise has become important and a priority. I've incorporated it into my life and I don't feel like I'm sacrificing or living less of a life. My thought process is that I'd rather live an extra week than have that donut or order of fries. The thought of eating really terrible things is not appealing to me anymore.

Everyone's situation will be different, but my advice to you is to learn how food affects your body and find a diet that is satisfying to you and can help stop the progression of plaque in your system. There are things you can actively do to greatly improve your longevity. Listen to your doctor and try to get in the mindset that every day you do positive things for your body, can help you be around for your family and friend longer.
Good luck to you!

Hello all,
Just received a CT calcium score of 1146 on the Multi-Ethnic Score for Atherosclerosis. My PCP says this is “very high” but it appears to be “very severe” by other criteria.

My question is this: am I a “walking time bomb” for a stroke or heart attack? And secondly, some doctors think the CT calcium scan is useless.

My PCP just quadrupled my Rosuvastatin from 5 mg to 20 mg.
I’m asking him to add into upcoming bloodwork an analysis of 2 specific lipoproteins: ApoB and Lp(a).

And do I need to check on my parathyroid gland?

I’m rather scared right now.

Thank you.

@harrydog …I would encourage you to get an LPa and APOb test. That is a much better picture of what is going on. Don’t panic…at least now you know to be followed by a cardiologist.

@mla504 Thanks for that info. I'm going to lobby for an angiogram when I see a cardiologist next month. CAC is high but stress echo was totally normal and all blood work is normal. Hoping the CAC is a false alarm!

@carlnh I have CAC score 1000, I am going to see cardiologist this week, my LDL and Cholestrol was high, Please let me know how your angiogram went . I might have to get angiogram too.

@kirandeep aggressive cholestrol comtrol
Is of upmost importance

Age 59, male. 716 calcium score 12/2024. Normal stress test 3/25. 20mg Crestor. Fast forward, 12/25 started having mild chest pain. Abnormal stress test 1/26. Angiogram showed 4 blockages, LAD 70%. 1 stent installed on 2/19, 2 blockages ballooned. 90% block is a minor vessel on back on heart, left alone. Crestor increases to 40mg, Metoprolol 25mg, Losartan 25mg. We shall see what the future holds.

@ordiver1 You may wish to ask your cardio about Repatha to further bring down your cholesterol levels. With Crestor and a pristine diet, I was only able to bring down my cholesterol to somewhere in the 180's. However, I wasn't able to continue to tolerate a statin. Once I switched to Repatha, cholesterol levels dropped to about 150. My calcium score, last checked, was in the 2000's. I have a very high Lp(a) which is what caused my issues. Genetic, can't change that other than keep the LDL as low as possible. Darn scary. I'm 81, a gym rat, got two stents in 2022. My cardio told me that even with the stents in place and the lower cholesterol numbers, I needed to keep my diet pristine.

If Repatha isn't covered by your insurance, I understand there is another medication done by infusion which has had great success and seems to be fully covered by insurances.

I wish you good health and good luck.

@carlnh An angiogram is an invasive test. There is a cardio specific CT scan which can give you all the info you need.

Good luck.

@manofheart thanks you , yes they are aiming for LDL < 50 , already started on atorvastatin 40 mg , aspirin 81 mg , Stress MIBI is shows subtle(5-10 %ischemia ) changes near the anterior leaflet, ST segment is normal , Radiologist thinks that it could be Artifact too. Just waiting for cardiologist to give me more clarity, Stress test is normal METS are good.