High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?

missy123,

Advanced lipid panel?
CTA?
Stress test with echo?
Peripheral ultrasounds?

What are your basic lipid numbers? Total cholesterol? HDL? LDL? Triglycerides? Weight? Lifestyle? All can be changed to lower risk.

Yes I feel exactly like you. I am 53 and at 1000 already . On statin and aspirin. I read and read journals and feel worse . I read "high risk" "decreased life expectancy" and 10 year risk of an event . They say if u are asymptomatic then just excercise, eat well, and what wait to have a heart attack. Now every twitch I get makes me wonder . So yes I feel very anxious 🙁. I have been trying to decrease anxiety with distraction and I even tried mindfulness meditation . Idk but you are not alone . What do you drs say?

Sure - not what I did, but you get to choose.

You sound like you did the research and are personally ready to allow the PCP to decide.

I see my PCP tomorrow and I’ll ask if I need any more tests done. If he says no I won’t worry about it. My score was 573, my brothers was around 37 and what’s funny is he has high cholesterol and a fatty liver from his diet. Go figure!

SteveSH,

Calcium scores do not go down, they only go up - the goal is take action to slow the rate of increase.

Nerves of steel! That is all one can do...live.

Should be straightforward to get triglycerides much lower (shoot for 50ish?), same with total cholesterol.

I am on atovastatin (40 mg), icosapent ethyl (Vascepa) (4g), telemisartan (20 mg), and 81 mg coated aspirin.

Have always been asymptomatic, stress test good, ultrasound with stress good, peripheral ultrasound good, CTA a bit inconclusive due to the amount of calcium that messes up CT scans.

68 yo, CAC 2300. Last test three years ago 1340.

My thread - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/high-cac-score-and-current-status/

triglycerides were 210, hdl 35, ldl (I have to find the paper, I'm at work), total cholesterol was 218. My doc is sending me for more detailed lipid panel.
I have an appointment with an interventional Cardiologist scheduled....figured might as well. I work with several academic healthcare systems. I don't need a referral--I have very good insurance luckily.

Interesting, one of my staff members who did the calcium scoring on me---I am the COO of a large Radiology Company---told me today she is 45 and she received a score of 50...same thing panic mode. Overall---even thought it caused me many sleepless nights, its better to know to be proactive. My father in law has a score of 2000 and has had it for 5 years...probably higher now, and he is doing well with no symptoms and is followed by both primary and cardiologist.

Jasper,

I would like to see your lipid numbers and advanced lipid panel findings. Insist on CTA, and ultrasound with stress test.

You absolutely need a cardiologist who can provide calm guidance over the next many years.

Agree with the other comment on this about getting a cardiologist. Its great you are exercising and eating better foods and losing weight. I had a high CT calcium score (higher than yours) and the first cardiologist recommended doing an invasive cath to check to see if there were any blockages and to put in a stent if necessary. I went for a second opinion with another cardiologist and he said that since there were no other symptoms, esp. no chest pain, we should be conservative and do more test before the cath. and look for blockages. The stress EKG was fine. He tweaked my statins to get LDL down lower. I have a follow up in 2 weeks. But glad I spoke with an experienced preventative cardiologist and didn't race into the cath. into my veins/arteries.