High Coronary Calcium Score: How do others feel emotionally?
I have a calcium score of 1,950 which is extremely high which means I am at a very high risk for a cardiac event,heart attack,stroke or sudden death.
I take a statin and baby aspirin. I have never been sick, have excellent cholesterol, low blood pressure and I am not overweight. I have no other health problems and I have never been sick. But I feel like a walking time bomb which has caused me a lot of stress. I am 70 yrs old.
I wonder how others with this condition feel emotionally?
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Well @keithl56, issues surrounding calcified and noncalcified plaque in the circulatory system are more complicated than one thinks and beyond the expected expertise of one cardiologist. Citations from Mayo Clinic show at least three major divisions of disease in which calcified and noncalcified plaque is crucial -- 1) myocardial ischemia in the heart, 2) peripheral artery disease (especially in arteries serving the head and the brain), and 3) arteriovenous malformations in the brain and a few other organs.
My own experience relates to diagnostic tests in search of plaque that may have caused my stroke this summer. Fortunately, plaque was not the cause, but a broadly based investigation by my medical team considered that possibility and the question of calcification of the plaque they located. Apparently Mayo Clinic and my HMO are ahead of the crowd on issues of calcified and noncalcified arterial plaque.
My cardiologist told me that at this time there is no way to distinguish between vulnerable and non-vulnerable plaque, and the level of calcification is not an indicator. He said the first one to come with such a test will probably win the Nobel Prize for medicine.
@keithl56 I wonder whether @frank1847 would agree that there are no studies showing calcified plaque is more stable than noncalcified. He quotes Dr. Ford Brewer on the subject and refers to other information that sounds like study results.
The calcium in the blood is not what to be concerned about The CT that identifies the calcified plaque is indicative of coronary artery disease, depending on the score. It is important to note that only about 20% of plaque is calcified, so you actually have 5 times the amount of plaque.
Unfortunately it is not possible to differentiate between stable and unstable plaque at this time. I haven't seen any study that says calcified plaque is more stable. There are two concerns with CAD. First is the stenosis which is the actual blocking of the arteries. At least with this there is a good chance of having warning signs with this and once you are symptomatic you have treatment options. However, if you have a plaque rupture you can end up with a sudden major cardio event or stroke.
@keithl56, are calcium level in the blood and calcified plaque in the arteries related -- that is, dependent on each other to some degree? I got reassurance (similar to that from @lioness) from the posting 8 hours earlier by @frank1847 who said ". . . the calcification fortifies the plaque in your arteries."
@lioness - You're confusing calcium levels in the blood with calcified plaque in the arteries, two completely different things
@tim1028 In the 90,s Ihad triple by pass at that time after surgery Dr put me on Aspirin 81mg it acts as a blood thinner to prevent clots Its been 23 yrs now Ive taken the aspirin every night and still here Long before this the Dr told me my calcium level was good so Not to take calcium as you get it done n food greens in particular.You also need magnesium for your heart and other organs .I went through 3heart catheterization,stress test before surgery then echocardiogram none of it is worth worrying about ,anxiety and panicking can do more harm to you emotions play on these. Good luck
Hi Tim
We are the same age, and the same score.
I was diagnosed last year and at the time I felt as you do.
I wish I had more time today to answer this more fully, but here goes. This is how my cardio explained it to me.
There are broadly speaking two types of heart attack, calcified and noncalcified, you have an 87% less chance of having a heart event as the guy with a plaque and no calcium. As the calcification fortifies the plaque in your arteries.
Also, there is a study done showing that people you have high calcium scores live equally as long as guys who go on to have bypass work done.
See youtube Dr. Ford Brewer,s video on calcification, he has a high calcium score himself and he says the same thing and advises not to lower it(although I still do). Explanation to follow.
There is a very recent Lancet study(about five weeks ago) advising not to take aspirin unless you are a certain height and weight I think it was 5 10 and 70 kg. It says aspirin can be dangerous and increases the chance of stroke.
Interestingly Dr. Ford Brewer shows how he lowered his arterial considerably, he shows the paperwork to prove it.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31133-4/fulltext
The videos I have included above should ease your mind a little and set you on the right path.
My very best to you. Note the Lancet journal is up there.
Frank
I am a new member. I recently had a calcium score CT test that resulted in a score of over 1500. I am 69 and am asymptomatic with no risk factors except a low HDL. This test result is a complete surprise and my anxiety index is high and I have no idea what this means for future treatment. I have a stress echocardiogram scheduled next week. What can I expect on the road ahead? I feel a bit like there is a cardiac bomb ticking . Most of the calcium is concentrated in two arteries
IMHO, It begs the question: why put you on a statin to begin with if your cholesterol is so low. It could be that the statin allowed a buildup of calcium to occur (since you've been taking it) in the walls of your arteries, like in my case. The only way to know for sure is with an angiogram. Se what the doc says about this tho.