Really bummed out (calcium test score)

Never had a calcium score test but I can tell you that you sound like you are doing pretty good and I believe that as we age we all get something. I'm 71 and have 4 stents in my heart and take a lot of pills but still feel healthy. Why, because I can walk, drive, a little stout, sing in choir, volunteer at the zoo, have a ton of friends and think...life is good !

I wasn’t familiar with a calcium test score, but I just looked it up and can see and understand why you’re feeling so heartbroken and maybe even some guilt. It’s completely understandable to feel that way, but it’s not your fault.

As @casey1329 said, it sounds like you’re doing great, feeling good, and you’ve been on top of your regular screenings, maybe even because of your family history (?) Those are all things to be proud of; for many people it’s more comfortable to stick our heads in the sand and NOT get those early screenings or just give up and give in, i.e. “I have a family history anyway so there’s nothing I can do…” etc. But you haven’t done that.

Because you followed through with the screenings, now you’re able to have options and decide how to address it, rather than find yourself in an ambulance with a heart attack or something else…

It still isn’t ideal =( And might feel unfair, and it is. I’m not dismissing that at all.

It’s important to remember you are living a healthy life. That your heart and your risk factors need extra support—that’s not meant to be an insult or a critique about something you did or didn’t do. It’s just a fact.

Sometimes even with the best efforts things happen. And if you’re genetically predisposed to a condition, there’s only so much you could do. Plus as we age, our bodies and brains are aging with us.

I’m hopeful with the great foundation you’ve set already, adding the treatments your doctor is recommending will help even more.

(But I’d just be cautious of the Lipitor; if it doesn’t work well for you there are other statins or other cholesterol lowering medications you can ask about—my dad was also high risk for stroke but with good cholesterol and they immediately put him on the highest dose and it didn’t work well for him at all. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about it if something feels off.)

Wishing you all the best.

@cantbelievethis, Welcome to Mayo Connect. You will find a lot of information from other people who share your same concerns.
Here is a link that you may find interesting:https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/high-calcium-score/
I'm sure it must have be shocking to find out that you do everything right and still have a high calcium score. There is a lot of information available about this topic, and I hope you take time to learn as much as you can about this. You have to be as educated about your health as you can, so you can advocate for yourself and the treatment you may be advised to try. You can't pick your family, and it sounds like this is where your issue came from...you have nothing to blame yourself for that or be angry at yourself. You sound like a very healthy person, and having a single lab test define you seems unfair. Has your doctor explained what this means to you? Is your cholesterol high, and that's why they want to start a statin? When is your stress-test?

Do you have a cardiologist? Ask him or her what your LP(a) number is. There are a number of drug studies ongoing that are dedicated to studies of LP(a) (lipoprotein a), which is an indicator of heart disease. You might check in your area to see if any of these studies are available to you. Joining one will make you feel proactive. Drugs that reduce LP(a) can often reduce the number to almost zero.

Mine came back as 1500 … that shook things up. Next came heart cath which found 4 blockages. Then open heart at 73 and 9 months. Found out I had the widow maker 90% blocked. Now at home trying to regain strength. I am a vet so my medical comes through the VA but fortunately I live far enough away that they sent me to a local surgeon

FWIW, my calcium score in March of this year was 2536 (and I'm 61). So from where I sit, your score isn't too bad. 🙂 I saw a cardiologist and had an echo cardiogram and nuclear stress test done. BOTH came back showing normal blood flow (i.e. no signs of major blockage). So, my calcium must mainly be in the artery walls or on the outside of the artery walls.

I immediately went on a statin (20mg of Crestor) which really knocked down my cholesterol levels. It was shocking for me to get that score, and it's easy for me to say this now, but don't be too concerned about your score until you have further tests done. Hopefully, given what I'm going to call a relatively low score, you won't have any signs of blockage too.

If you have any medical tests done, be sure to call your insurance company and ask if any pre-approval is required before getting those tests done. I needed pre-approval for both my tests.

Best of luck to you!

High CAC ... so, follow-up should include:
- Advanced lipids blood test
- Stress test with echocardiogram
- Peripheral ultrasound testing
- CTA if appropriate
- Catheterization if appropriate
- Diet changes if appropriate

You don't provide the specifics - or historical data - re blood pressure, lipids, stress test scores, etc ... these would be helpful.

Your CAC score will increase on statins, but this is good. Based on your inference to family history, if you had ongoing heart/blood lipid issues, you should have already been on a statin.

Why would the CAC score go up on statins? Why would an increasing CAC score be good? Please explain.

@debwellmadebeh

That was something peculiar I came across in my reading about calcium and statin use. It sounded very counterintuitive at the time. The following links will help answer your questions. My take-away is that because statins calcify the plaque, it makes that plaque more stable and less likely to break off and cause a blockage:
https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/plaque-paradox-statins-increase-calcium-in-coronary-atheromas-even-while-shrinking-them/
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
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circ.138.suppl_1.17248

Maybe check your parathyroid and vitamin D levels as an overactive parathyroid can cause high calcium in the blood, low vitamin D too. It may be totally wrong response but thought I'd throw it out there.