High calcium score: I'm in shock

Yep - I recall a dual PET/CT system being used in pancreatic cancer diagnosis - but, using it to assess calcium?

74 years old, received CAC score 6 months ago 1,328. Using web, I entered numbers and found my coronary arteries are equivalent to a 92-year-old, and 10-year risk of heart event or stroke is 39%. Immediately went on very strict raw vegetables diet. This diet is very hard to maintain. I had to back off, adding only fish, but as time goes by, it’s only been 6 months, I cheat. Sugar free chocolates, KETO cookies, but these put pounds back. I am 5’6” and my weight went down from 160 to 134. Was on a low dose statin for decades, but primary care physician (PCP) immediately put me on Rosuvastatin 40mg and ordered Stress Test with Echocardiogram. This stress test produced a Duke Score saying my risk was "only" 10%, walls and muscles are fine, injection great. So high CAC Score, low Duke score. PCP said I was doing everything I could, so don't worry, eat well, exercise, end enjoy remaining life. Few months later, I had to see a cardiologist. First meeting was perfunctory BUT HE DID order LIPOPROTEIN FRACTIONATION MOBILITY, and carotid arteries intima thickness MRI, because, “There is correlation between plaque in carotid arteries and plaque in coronary arteries” whatever that means. This test showed plaque blockage in lowest 10% risk category. So now, 95% risk based on CAC and 10% risk based on other two tests. My LDL went from 50’s to 19 on Rosuvastatin 40mg. Now it’s 27. I read over 100 scholarly papers and started to beg for PCSK-9. Cardiologist said no because diet plus Rosuvastatin 40mg tested at an LDL of 19. Great, yes? Well, wait. The fractionation mobility test came back, with small, medium and large particle sizes and risk panel B - not good at all. Since the particle labs are absolute measurements, not the LDL-C which is calculated, my cardiologist now says my REAL LDL is 110 and I will be on the PCSK9 Inhibitor immediately to get my “real” LDL-P (particle) lower than 40. I will soon go on Zetia in 6 weeks after I have another fractionation mobility test done. I am willing to share any numbers about my chemistry if you ask. I am still alive, happier that I have a much better hold on my numbers. Risk is still 39%. I begged for an invasive cardiology and doc doesn’t want to do it because risk of shedding a clot is 1 in 1,000. He WILL do it if I beg for it. There is so much knowledge I have now, would like to refresh this thread and get it going again. Ask me questions, there is supplements, for one thing, to talk about.

Hello everyone

I am 56 years old and have been a very fit athlete my entire life and I have a very clean diet since my CAC score 6 months ago came in at 90. My question is how important a role does your triglycerides have in all this ? before I even started taking statins 6 months ago my cholesterol was 190 with an LDL of 128 and triglycerides at 72. FYI I do have a family history of heart disease with my dad passing at 80. Did not really have a healthy lifestyle.

Thank you

bobby,

If you started statins after you received the CAC score, then likely since then your LDL should be lower, and your triglycerides (another lipid) may be lower.

Your numbers (I am not a medical professional): generally, for heart health, your total cholesterol is high, LDL is high, and triglycerides are not bad. Mine looked a lot like these, but with better eating, statin and icosapent ethyl, total cholesterol dropped to 100, LDL to 50, and triglycerides to 50 ... average numbers. Likely your CAC score is higher now due to the calcifying effects of the statin.

Hello everyone

I am 56 years old and have been a very fit athlete my entire life and I have a very clean diet since my CAC score 6 months ago came in at 90. My question is how important a role does your triglycerides have in all this ? before I even started taking statins 6 months ago my cholesterol was 190 with an LDL of 128 and triglycerides at 72. FYI I do have a family history of heart disease with my dad passing at 80. Did not really have a healthy lifestyle.

Thank you

I feel for your anxiety! Let me say that we can be GREATFUL that you and your doc know! So lucky because you can now expect to live without a surprise ( like a heart attack/stroke) and other emergencies which might have been hidden from view. My father swam three times a week and he had a heart attack at 58 and had to have open heart surgery or valve replacements and valve replacements. He had a triple heart bypass when he was 72 he had a quadruple heart bypass and when he was 80 he had a triple heart bypass in between, he went in for various angioplasties. I was just diagnosed with coronary artery disease at 67 and it came as quite a shock. But fortunately, I live my whole life eating and exercising properly and I ended up with three clear arteries and one artery that is one third blocked. But that’s better than having had heart attacks strokes and dying like my cousins did in their 50s and 60s Because they didn’t take care of their diet and exercise. Aging isn’t for wussies they say. and I think they are right. Every other year I go for some major joint replacement and surgeries are just incorporated into a way of life. The alternative is to be debilitated or dead by the grace of God we go I hope this isn’t depressing but optimistic to help you, you’re quite fortunate that you were 50 and you will have many great years ahead of you as you adjust to the hand you are dealt. Absolutely no one ages without some thing they have to deal with some people have many things they have to deal with just find what inspires you and your passion to carry you through the difficult times and the struggles , enjoy your family. You can still do the food. You can still eat the social circles you can still have, etc. I have found even my long recuperations are a place. I can enjoy things with total abandon like reading and sitting still there is a silver lining to every cloud good luck to you !

What is everybody's thought on eating eggs including the yellow ? I keep my daily food intake to less then 15 grams of saturated fat per day. I feel eggs are such a great protein and feel great all day. I have eliminated cheese 100 percent from my diet but love scrambled eggs with veggies as a staple in my diet.