← Return to High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

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@hikerguy62

Many of the articles I initially read said you could NOT lower your CAC score and that it would in face get higher because statins cause more calcification (which is actually good, as the calcified plaque is much less likely to break off and cause a clot than the "fatty plaque".

BUT, then I ran across this video from Cleveland Clinic which says if you lower your cholesterol aggressively, you can reduce the plaque (which, in theory, should lower your CAC since there's less plaque to calcify):
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Below are some related links about CAC scores and plaque:
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https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2021/11/10/19/50/the-effect-of-statin-therapy-on-the-progression-and-composition-of-coronary-atherosclerotic-plaque
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"Statin therapy is associated with atherosclerotic plaque transformation to higher calcium density, which is associated with slower plaque progression."
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7793667/
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"CAC progression under statin therapy did not increase cardiovascular risk, although more supportive data are needed."
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https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-statins-actually-reverse-plaque-buildup/
"Q: Can statins actually reverse plaque buildup?
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A: Yes. There have been several clinical studies — many of them done here at Cleveland Clinic — that show statins can reverse plaque buildup.

If your LDL cholesterol is lowered below 70 mg/dL, you can even see a regression in the plaque by up to 24%. So having really a low LDL cholesterol level can help stabilize any plaque buildup you have, and prevent further plaque progression."
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https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/can-we-reduce-vascular-plaque-buildup
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"Can you unclog your arteries, or reduce plaque buildup?
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"Making plaque disappear is not possible, but we can shrink and stabilize it," says Dr. Cannon."

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Replies to "Many of the articles I initially read said you could NOT lower your CAC score and..."

Reducing plaque is obviously different from reducing calcified plaque - I have read for several years and have not heard of anyone reporting they have lowered their calcium scores.

Most in our position are on some form of statin to reduce LDL (most have seen massive decreases in LDL), and I take Vascepa which lowers triglycerides massively. Other than managing weight (related), blood pressure (related), exercising, and eating a healthy diet - not sure much else can be done.