A CAC score is just informing you about your arterial health. Soft plaque (which is usually the stuff that will get you in the end) doesn’t show up on a CAC score, but what lights up is the hardened calcification. Since a high CAC score is a proven predictor of increased CAD events, it should just be used as a guide to make lifestyle changes. My doctor has told me repeatedly he has patients in their 90s with CAC score in the 1000s.

Elevated CAC scores have also been associated with increased risk of other noncardiovascular diseases including cancer, kidney disease and obstructive pulmonary disease.

So a high CAC score is not a death sentence. It’s just an informative tool to nudge many of us into a healthier lifestyle. And your LDL still seems on the high side, ideally get it under 70, if you had issues with a statin before try another manufacturer and lower dose and try to ride out any muscle spasms for a few months to see if they go away.

So any of us with calcified arteries should just go about our lives but make necessary lifestyle choices and forget about it. Exercise, quality sleep, low blood pressure, minimal stress, a plant based diet when possible, a statin to lower LDL and no smoking are simple ways to live to 100 with a high CAC score.