1. < Heart & Blood Health

I have a very high calcium score. What next?

Posted by dpframing @dpframing, Aug 24, 2018

Just joined the site and I'm looking to share with others who have had a high calcium score. I found out today that mine is 2996 and I am scared by this. I am 61 and I am totally asymptomatic. Now I feel like a walking time bomb. I am thinking of requesting an angiogram to see if there's any narrowing anywhere and if it can be corrected with a stent. After a second heart doctor told me that the plaque buildup might be uniform over the course of years with no big problem areas, I am encouraged. But the score still freaks me out, specifically my LAD at 1333. I don't smoke or drink but I have to lose 40 lbs.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

agb | @agb | Jan 31 11:50am
In reply to @sherrylaverty "I too have a high CAC score. I have lost 120 lbs put the plaque will..." + (show)
@sherrylaverty

I too have a high CAC score. I have lost 120 lbs put the plaque will never go away. My cardiologist bumped up my statin to 40mg of Atorvastation and a year later my CAC score rose 47 points. I too am scared and scared to travel on an airplane due to the fact of having an event. I also have heart arrthymias which I frequently feel… it’s no fun and really destroys living life to the fullest.,

Jump to this post

One of the side effects (thought to be good) from taking a statin is that it will convert soft plaque into hard. It's the soft plaque breaking away that causes the most heart attacks and strokes, so yes, you should expect the CAC score to rise, but at a lower risk. Ask your doctor at your next appointment

REPLY
missey | @missey | Jan 30 9:09am
In reply to @dejones270 "I started taking two 500 mg. doses of slow release niacin daily and my Lp(a) went..." + (show)
@dejones270

I started taking two 500 mg. doses of slow release niacin daily and my Lp(a) went down dramatically.

Jump to this post

Niacin is a very dangerous supplement to take! Please consult with your doctor.

REPLY
george7856 | @george7856 | Jan 29 3:13pm
In reply to @dejones270 "I started taking two 500 mg. doses of slow release niacin daily and my Lp(a) went..." + (show)
@dejones270

I started taking two 500 mg. doses of slow release niacin daily and my Lp(a) went down dramatically.

Jump to this post

what was your LP a before niacin and after and how long did it take to get it down?

REPLY
clc28 | @clc28 | Jan 13 2:43am
In reply to @lesb0298 "I too had a high calcium score on my recent blood test and my cardio was..." + (show)
@lesb0298

I too had a high calcium score on my recent blood test and my cardio was concerned as I already have 3 stents (most recent done Sept 2024). I think what has happened, I had been taking like 2/3 Tums at night due to bad indigestion. There is like 1,000 mg of calcium in one tablet. So I’ve stopped and reverted back to Prilosec. I use a LOT of foamed 1% milk in my espresso, but that’s a minimal amount of calcium compared to those Tums. I use my fitness pal . Com, for tracking all my nutrition now. I’ll wait a month and have another blood test to check my calcium.

Jump to this post

Maybe read my above comment Hope it helps.
Magnesium is crucial for Cal to assimilate.
I learnt the hard way too.

REPLY
wisconsin2267 | @wisconsin2267 | Jan 11 10:27pm
In reply to @pkoutou "Tums will not affect your cardiac calcium score …" + (show)
@pkoutou

Tums will not affect your cardiac calcium score …

Jump to this post

She thinks we are talking about blood calcium.

REPLY
pkoutou | @pkoutou | Jan 11 4:55pm

Tums will not affect your cardiac calcium score …

REPLY
1 reply
lesb0298 | @lesb0298 | Jan 11 4:24pm

I too had a high calcium score on my recent blood test and my cardio was concerned as I already have 3 stents (most recent done Sept 2024). I think what has happened, I had been taking like 2/3 Tums at night due to bad indigestion. There is like 1,000 mg of calcium in one tablet. So I’ve stopped and reverted back to Prilosec. I use a LOT of foamed 1% milk in my espresso, but that’s a minimal amount of calcium compared to those Tums. I use my fitness pal . Com, for tracking all my nutrition now. I’ll wait a month and have another blood test to check my calcium.

REPLY
1 reply
christianzane | @christianzane | Jan 10 12:01pm

You need to move on with your life and forget it, you can live to be 100 with a CAC score in the 1000s. Just make the necessary lifestyle changes (diet/stress/blood pressure/smoking/sleep/exercise etc) and be sure to see a doctor the second you feel any pain or breathlessness when exerting yourself. 90% of men and 70% of women have calcification of the arteries at 70 or older so if you are younger than that it's good you know about it and have a jump start on making changes.

REPLY
sherrylaverty | @sherrylaverty | Jan 8 12:35pm

I too have a high CAC score. I have lost 120 lbs put the plaque will never go away. My cardiologist bumped up my statin to 40mg of Atorvastation and a year later my CAC score rose 47 points. I too am scared and scared to travel on an airplane due to the fact of having an event. I also have heart arrthymias which I frequently feel… it’s no fun and really destroys living life to the fullest.,

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.