High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

I really appreciated and find your first paragraph helpful, but your concluding sentence: "One should also consider why should one live longer & at what cost to nature?" feels ageist and not helpful. I wouldn't want a cardiologist suggesting to my husband that with high CAC because he is approaching 70 he should consider himself a potential detriment to "nature." We are nature lovers and both of us work hard to make the environment a better place. Being kind to nature isn't age based. Ageism is rampant here in the US and can be a major source of psychological stress on older people and thusly not heart healthy.

Just something for you to consider, thank you.

Hi @stanimal

I agree with some of the other comments, if your on statins, it is probably due to the statins---which in the long run may be a good thing! I work in the Radiological and Oncology field--I am NOT dispensing medical advice, but my own opinion is I personally will not repeat Calcium scoring. I don't require authorizations for CT angiograms or any other diagnostic imaging testing--I get them free from my employer, I just need a script.
I personally believe that if you have no symptoms and are following a good diet and exercise plan...and taking your meds you are doing good as long as you are symptom free. Stress tests are also great to give people pience of mind---and it is not invasive. Ultimatatly everyone needs to make the decison of what is right for them, but don't be discouraged....a decade went by and it sounds like your doing well.
I am not a proponent of doing unnecessary testing including heart caths---many people want to do it to see if their are blockages, BUT these are not risk free and have actually seen people have complications (rare but they do happen) where they tear a vessel which requires emergency surgery. Also...you hear people advocating for CCTA...again, often unnecessary radiation exposure and can open a can of worms for incidental findings that should not be touched. IMHO (and that is all it is) if you trust your Cardiologist and PCP and you have meaningful dialogue with them about options...that is the best course of action. Too many Dr. Googles out their and site so many studies how this works and this doesn't work...go with your gut. Best of luck. BTW, I am about 51 with a CAC of 170 with no other abnormalities and no symptoms---I have friends who have it in the 1000's and are symptom free for years--it is one test of many.

Hi jasper1072

Age at first scan was 57 Had a scan two years later at 59.
Last scan was at age 68.

I'm over the shock now and just trying to live my best life

Hi @ stanimal

May I ask what age you were at the time of your first scan? Did you have the 2nd scan exactly two years after?

Stressing never helps…everyday you’re alive is a gift.

I've looked into this and statins make your calcium harden, thus making your score go up. I'm assuming you're on statins. If you're not, then never mind but if you are and your score has gone up, that's probably due to statins but here's the thing--that's what statins are designed to do, at least in part. The theory is that hard calcium is much safer than soft calcium which can cause a heart attack. I hope this helps put your mind at east somewhat. I've never read anything anywhere from a person who said his/her calcium score went down.

And now we know that marathon exercise increases CAC. Yeah, I'm done checking mine. At >2600, nl stress treadmill and perfusion studies (can't do angio unless my life depends on it 2/2 bad contrast reaction) and age nearly 77, and NO carotid plaque, I'm just going to carry on using pitavastatin, ezetimibe, and optimism (still working MD, play lead guitar in a rock band, gym rat).
jon

Oh yes. That’s what I do all the time:)
Early dinner, home made food, vegan whole food plant based diet, avoiding sugar, dairy and wheat, avoiding anger and criticising, good sleep hygiene, regular physical activities, pranayam, loud laughters,some form of meditation, good simple companies, self help book reading, some passion in life and avoiding over thinking/ judgements.. these my key recommendations. I try to do these as well.

Lastly, One should also consider why should one live longer & at what cost to nature? 😊

Do you talk to your patients about making lifestyle changes?

I have a score of 642 and am 70 yo. LDL went down to 22 with a new injectable my cardiologist put me on plus 10 mg of statins. I'd taken statins 10-20 mg for about 20 years prior and I attribute that to my high Calcium score but I've come to think it's not a bad thing. From everything I read, statins are designed to transform soft dangerous plaque to hard not-as-dangerous plaque and I believe that's what happened to me. I did take a nuclear stress test after passing a normal stress test with flying colors (in fact, I broke the machine at the 9 minute mark). Nuclear stress test showed good blood flow, my cardiologist told me. I also had a sonogram of my heart. I was worried before the nuclear test and sonogram but they and the cardiologist put my mind at rest. I should say that I live in NYC where I believe the best doctors in the world are. I asked around for a top cardiologist and was referred to one affiliated with Cornell Weill who does not take insurance. I went anyway and I'm glad I did. I realize I'm fortunate to be able to do that but wanted to give you the full picture.

Thank you, doctor, for your illuminating post. I've just had my first calcium score, at age 66, which came in at 61 but with my cCTA showing 50% stenosis in the mid-LAD (and no other vessels). My PCP referred me to cardiologist and they're both urging me to get stress nuclear or stress CMR-tested. Like you, I'm asymptomatic, have no risk factors, and am a lifelong endurance athlete -- these days, I'm running, rowing, hiking and working out vigorously at least two hours per day. So I was very interested to read that you got stress nuclear tested. My cardiologist tells me the purpose is to test for "silent ischemia" due to my stenosis, which they think may now or will soon require stenting. I've been reluctant to go ahead, fearing a false positive followed by an intervention; since you are asymptomtatic and low-risk, yet got stress nuclear tested, and you're an interventional cardiologist yourself, I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts as to the considerations that favor stress nuclear or CMR testing. Thank you very much!