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Extremely high calcium score at 42 - is there any positive here??
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: Apr 16 10:55pm | Replies (173)Comment receiving replies
Just to follow-up - I've scheduled an appointment with a second cardiologist for this week, since mine is on vacation through the end of the month and I now have many questions and would like to get some different expert perspectives on options. (I mentioned earlier in this thread that my current cardiologist told me of the high calcium score just before leaving for vacation; after I read up on what this apparently means, I called his office and asked them to convey to him that I was very concerned. He did call from his vacation and leave a voicemail *emphatically * telling me -- three times -- that it was nothing for me to worried about, that it was "nothing for me to worry about" and that he was "just identifying me as someone who needs a little more aggressive attention.")
I did get the full results sent over from his office today. They are:
Agatson score: 397
Left main: 69
LAD: 256
LCX: 72
RCA: 0
I have since Thursday been on 20mg of Crestor. I am trying to determine what dietary changes make the most sense; there is just so much contradictory info out there on that front. And I'm trying to determine if there are additional medications to push for. Today, for example, I found a lot of info on PCSK9 inhibitors. If I'm reading it right, the idea is that combined with high-dose statins, they have been shown to potentially reduce plaque? This seems like a huge deal if so. I saw in one review of studies that the "target" range for achieving plaque reduction is LDL <80 and HDL >45.
On top of all of this, I'm just trying to figure out how alarmed I should be and how dramatically I need to change my life, especially when it comes to diet.
Replies to "Just to follow-up - I've scheduled an appointment with a second cardiologist for this week, since..."
Hi Steveny-this is the first time I have posted here. I am sure you have more info now as this post was 2 weeks ago. Wondering how you made out?
I am a 55 yo (no previous medical history and quite healthy) who’s score was 797 mostly in LAD (the widow maker). Was 80% blocked and ended up with 2 stents 6 weeks ago. I have the gene issue - Lipoprotein a - and my level was outrageous at 460. On Crestor 20mg (having issues with higher doses), Zetia, aspirin, brilinta (anti platelet)…
Just trying to figure out med regimen and what’s next here. Maybe the Inhibitor injections. Your situation was similar.
I am someone who can't take statins, so my Cardiologist put me on Rapatha. It's a shot I take every 2 weeks to lower the "bad" cholesterol.
I can empathize with you when it comes to not understanding why something like this, just doesn't seem to be as concerning to the doctor as it is to you. As a friend told me when I had questions about my small vessel spasms, be the squeaky wheel! Get answers, this is your body and your life!
Your reaction is normal...and that is good. It seems you are being proactive and are taking the necessary steps to ensure a good long term prognosis. Anxiety will come down in the ensuing weeks and the main thing is to stay on point with taking your meds, eating a healthy diet, exercising and having your follow up with your physicians. In three weeks I went from an LDL of 150 to 35! Stay positive and remember anxiety also is not heart healthy...so try to distract yourself when you can.
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I don't envy you trying to get definitive answers as, yes, there is a ton of conflicting information out there. And excellent doctors who don't necessarily agree either to make it harder.
One of the good things about exercise, which you're already doing, is that it can cause the body to make, not only more HDL, but more fluffy, non-sticky cholesterol according to my cardiologist. I have proof of that in own medical history, which made my cardiologist say, "See, how well that works? It's exactly what we tell patients it'll do." [She thought I was trying to get healthier buy I was just trying to look good for a college reunion. Meaning that I'm more motivated by vanity, or insecurity, than health? lol]
The other thing that changed my lipid profile was when I was eating a lot of fresh vegetables with every meal. My personal theory, based on zero science, is that the pectin in the vegetables adsorbed a lot of fats as it went through the GI tract analogous to those goofy 'colon cleanse' kits. And a friend lowered her cholesterol considerably by doing the same thing by the way. Eating a lot of vegetables, of the best quality you can find, is an easy enough thing to try while getting better answers. Almost any vegetable can make a decent smoothie if chunks of apple are included. Which also increases the pectin.