Anyone out there w very high CAC and high LP(a) ?

As far as I know there are no current medications targeting Lipoprotein(a), and I wasn't accepted in Eli Lilly clinical trials for same.

@tia50 I don’t know if you’re still part of this forum, but I had the exact same hope. I was 41 when I received my 220 CAC. I just had my 5 year rescan and it was 628. Devastating doesn’t begin to describe it. I’ve made major lifestyle changes over the last 5 years, taken my high dose statin and ZETIA, lost a significant amount of weight, stayed active, and still got a higher number. I hope your results are better. I am currently working through making peace with this again and staying the course.

I’m 46/F had my first CAC done when I was 41 and the results came back at 220. I was startled by that number, to say the least. I knew nothing about what a calcium score was other than the cardiologist telling me it should be zero, best case scenario. I knew that I had been overweight most of my life and not taking great care of myself, but I wasn’t expecting that number so young. Although I admit I was probably the poster child for bad decisions and living life on my own terms, disregarding my health. This was my wake-up call. I began taking good care of myself. I lost a significant amount of weight, began eating healthier, and started exercising. I was put on 80 mg of atorvastatin and Zetia as well. I also take Mounjaro which has helped tremendously in weight loss, blood sugar control, and other areas I struggled in. Two weeks ago, I had my five- year re-scan at the request of my cardiologist, and my new CAC was 628. Again, startled and a bit disheartened if I’m being honest, because I’d worked so hard the last five years to keep my numbers in control in all other aspects, LDL cholesterol sits in the mid-40s, triglycerides are low, blood sugars controlled. If I’m being honest, I was very disappointed in the cardiologist’s response, which was simply, your CAC is strikingly high for your age. You need to take an aspirin daily. She’s been my cardiologist for the last three years because the original cardiologist moved out of state, but she is aware of my previous score and my health history, so it was as if she didn’t even review my previous results to compare and give me any type of feedback such as, ok, maybe the statin made the plaque stabilize, and now your CAC number is higher because of that. Needless to say, I am going to be getting a second opinion from a cardiologist who specializes in women’s heart health and coronary artery disease. I am fortunate to be in Houston and have access to wonderful doctors through the Methodist health system, and this particular cardiologist is involved with women’s heart health center. I am so very grateful to have found this forum specifically because I have felt very alone at my age with this number. I know that I am probably in the minority in that sense, but it does make me feel so much better to have other people who understand and read your comments and your stories. I wish everyone the best health and long life.

@allisonp I’m so sorry you are dealing with this. I’m also a woman in her 40s (I was 47 when I had my high CAC score, I’m 49 now). We are so rare, it seems, that it can be quite isolating. I’ve told my story here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/any-people-in-their-40s-with-very-high-cac-scores/

I hope your new cardiologist is good! I had a bunch of testing at first, but my doctor has said I won’t get any follow up CCTAs or anything for another couple of years (unless I start having symptoms). But I dread getting news that all I have done isn’t working! I certainly empathize with what you are experiencing now.

Hopefully your new doctor will have you do a coronary CT angiogram. It might help put your mind at ease, since it shows where the plaque actually is. I realize my CAC score will continue to rise, but my hope is that my next CCTA will show that it is mostly just existing plaques becoming more dense rather than more of them forming…

I was very disappointed that the first trial for a drug that lowers Lp(a) failed, since I had really banked on that as something to reduce my risk longer term. I’m still waiting to see how the other trials unfold…

In any case, I wish you the very best as you sort through this. Hang in there!

@star123 thank you so much, absolutely does feel isolating. I’m glad we’ve actually connected here! I think it feels so rare because women our age probably aren’t normally getting these CAC tests because they’re an added test that you usually have to ask for unless there’s reason to need one. There could potentially be many more like us, and they just don’t know it yet, which is concerning. I hope that there’s also an advocacy moving forward for women’s heart health in this space. Hope to keep in touch through here. Thank you so much again for your kind words.

Hi, @allisonp. I am glad you found Mayo Clinic Connect and have met @star123. You certainly have found a great place to learn, share, encourage and just know you are not alone.

I needed to learn my isolation wasn’t as real as I felt it was. Then I, too found Connect! I have taken a statin since my 20’s when i first found out I had high cholesterol. I didn’t think much about it because everyone in my family…..well, they had high cholesterol. Nothing more was every really discussed, and it wasn’t until my mom asked me to go along with her when she got a calcium scan. She was 80-some years old at the time and her score was 0. I had no idea what my score meant because I was just going along for the ride.

I am interested to hear how your upcoming appointment goes with a new cardiologist. Congrats on your hard work paying off and finding what sounds like a perfect fit for you, a specialist in women’s heart health to support your preventive mindset.

When is your appointment, and what are you hoping to accomplish?

I am a 64 yo woman with a 7 year old CAC score of 950, six year old Lp(a) 312 nmol, and had high total cholesterol over 300 - LDL, which is a calculated number or as we economists call it, a residual, 198.
I was in the Horizon trial for 4 1/2 years…it was shut down last month - no word yet on the exact cause, but did not meet expectations was the message. I felt like it was a lifeline for me…too many emotion have circulated through me to discuss on here after the announcement on 9/4/26.
I am on Repatha and Nexletol because I cannot tolerate statins. I have only been able to lower LDL to 72 - and that was recently after some beta blocker and anti- angina medication changes.
I understand the fear, but my lipidologist said to me at my last appointment, you can only do what is under your control. So, my diet has always been 95% impeccable, exercise about the same, so the only thing left is to let go of fear and enjoy every moment.
I am sending huge digital hugs…🤗. I have been there and now back to square two instead of one. Everyone’s system is a little bit different, so no lifestyle path will be exactly the same. Guidelines are what they are… an outline of a path forward. Just be honest with yourself and the solution will find you.

Kindest regards and more hugs, VaniaG