I have a very high calcium score. What next?

Thanks.

Hello @fedoramenorah,

Agatston score is a measure of calcium or calcification detected by coronary CT calcium scan. Hence, I moved your discussion to this conversation, where you can meet the many members who are talking about high calcium score.
If you click on VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can join in, meet, and participate with other members talking about their or their loved ones' experiences.

A high Agatston/calcium score does not mean that you will have a heart attack, only that there is a greater likelihood of having one than someone with a low score. Here’s an interesting Mayo Clinic article which I would encourage you to view:
– https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/cardiovascular-diseases/news/coronary-artery-calcium-score-are-we-doing-too-many-or-too-few/mcc-20438011

Hi Kanaaz, Can you explain why the CAC score can go up when taking statins?

Hi @pcspetpro,

I’m not a medical professional, hence would not be able to diagnose or weigh in on medical conditions or questions. What I can do, (at the risk of plying you with more reading:) is cite some recently published studies, which may provide reasonable explanation for us:

– Statins Promote Coronary Calcification? Study Says Yes, and It Might Be a Good Thing https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/842499
– Annual rate of coronary artery calcification with combination therapy (PCSK9 inhibitor and statin) is lower than that with statin monotherapy: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-018-0026-2

You’ve asked a very interesting, albeit much-debated question, and I’d like to bring in @predictable @thankful @ch246cf10 @bigbern @bluesdoc into this conversation as well. I hope this helps; I look forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks so much for the links. It doesn't seem that the reason for statins causing an increase in CAC score is fully understood. The fact that a PCSK9 inhibitor + statin lowers the CAC increase, confuses things even more. So many more people are getting CAC Testing and are being faced with the question, to take a statin or not take a statin? Thanks again for your help.

The linked Mayo Clinic article on coronary artery calcium scoring is excellent. It refers to the American Heart Association's 'Simple 7' ways to be heart healthy. I have a high CAC score (1560) but do all seven heart healthy recommendations, so my lifestyle is highly likely to help counteract the deleterious effect of a high plaque burden. My cardiologist started me on a high-dose statin and a daily baby aspirin and told me to see him in a year. He said the problem with most of his patients is to get them to make healthy choices that reduce their cardiac risk. What works for me is to make small, conscious changes. Over time these seemingly unremarkable changes add up to big results. 'It's hard by the yard, but a cinch by the inch'

Do you have any arterial blockages or symptoms?

Mine was 800 which is low in comparison to yours but I also freaked out. The MD had me do a nuclear stress test which was entirely normal. But I am not entirely at ease so I guess you just live until you have symptoms.

I agree. But it is still hard knowing your score. I wonder if enough is known about this calcium test and what it really means

No blockage so far but it makes you wonder when that is going to happen; no one can predict this