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High calcium score: I'm in shock
Hi everyone... just wanted to share my last few days - I'm scared and lost and was just hoping to hear from some people who have been in my place. Long story short - I went in for a "routine" checkup at age 50 to make sure my heart was okay. I had a stress test two years ago that was fine. But I do have a family history, and somewhat high LDL and blood pressure so the doctor sent me for a cardiac calcium score. It came back at 407 at age 50!!! That's like the 98th percentile for my age, which is shocking. I do Crossfit and have done half marathons so it was totally unexpected. Now I'm going for another stress test in two weeks to make sure no blockages are over 70%, and I'm not sure of the steps after that.... I'm terrified of needing open heart surgery - I've gotten myself into a place of being okay with a stent if needed. I know it's better to know than not know, but I just feel like my life was suddenly ripped out from under me and to be honest I'm spinning right now... every waking second I feel like I'm going to drop over..
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63 now. My calcium score around 1400 5 years ago. I now have 3 stents due to 75% blocks. No smoke, noone in family with issues, a lot of running and biking in my life. Just want to add i have read some articles that folks who do long distance running may increase calcium score. I dont think a calcium score or a stress test always equates to a blockage. Only way to know is to do a 5 minute angio and take a look. If you have a lot of angina, out of breath when doing exercise, stairs etc, then u should try to get this done. It is very common and quick, if they see a blockage u get a stent. My cholesterol was high, I changed diet, reduced sugar and processes foods, tske a med and numbers came down. My hdl, good chlosteral, has always been low and cant get it to go up.
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1 ReactionThank you for responding. My cath is next Friday however I have been experiencing scapula pain that is radiation from left to right scapula. And some chest discomfort. Really not sure if I'm having now more anxiety or actual heart issue. But the reason I end up getting a calcium scoring because my first cardiologist I got in 2021 with brief afib episode. He had me on lots of medication in my blood pressure was running 90 over 80 so I sought a second opinion. The new cardiologist, she did a workup on several things as a new patient and immediately found the 1358 calcium scoring after seeing her only once
Hi @sjy70 . I notice your posts, gosh it’s been almost 5 years ago now. How are you doing since writing last?
Hi @ss52 . Welcome to Connect! I see on your first post you have a high calcium score and are waiting to get a heart cath done to help fill in some blanks as far as what is going. You have to be feeling stressed. That will be helpful.
When is your procedure scheduled? If you are comfortable sharing, what prompted you to get a calcium test?
That sounds like the Cleerly test. I had it. Once you have the test and know it, you know it. I had no symptoms, and had the cleerly test to find I had 80 percent blockage in top of LAD an 60 percent blockage in RCA. You can't just get your LDL down and eat the same diet and not expect to keep damaging your arteries.
High calcium scoring angiogram can't see past the plaque. Need a heart cath to make sure
Stress test and echo does not check for blockages only function the idea is if there is a blockage the heart function will be abnormal.
I'm 51 cal score of 1400 normal lass no. Smoke no family hx. Waiting for my heart cath
My calcium score is over 1000. They are able to use AI to determine plaque build up using the information from the Cardiac CT Scan and I was told I have worrisome plaque in my right and middle arteries. The only non surgical fix is to drop my LDL to 55, so far the closest I've gotten is 62. And cholesterol lowering drugs are the only way to get that low unless I want to live off of grass and twigs!
Kudos to you! Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job managing your health.
I always ask ... "what are your numbers?" Other than physical presentation, this is the go to for docs. I'm not a med pro, btw.
Total cholesterol?
LDL?
Triglycerides?
METS from stress tests? How long and at what heart rate?
Ejection fractions?
Blood sugar? A1C?
Right direction on weight loss - weight does matter fir heart health.
58 Year old, no history of High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure or Diabetes, non-smoker, non-drinker, fairly active only risk factor is BMI of 32, fairly active. Requested a CAC score at my physical, came back at 716...I was shocked. Doc prescribed 20mg Atorvastatin and raised to 40mg after 30 days. Echocardiogram and Nuclear Stress test came back as no blockages and normal heart function. Said come back in a year, She also said that the CAC can't determine if the plaque is inside or outside the arteries. Doc said most of your plaque must be on the outside. For the past 6 months, I have been walking 2-4 miles every day, eating better, have lost 30 lbs with goal of losing 30 more. My test results were 2 months ago. Dr said I was heading in the correct direction.
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