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.

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@writer418

I tried Prluent and my LDL plunged as did overall cholesterol numbers. of course then my insurance stopped paying so I’ve switched to Repatha which is I’m told similar. Whatever you do, I’ve listened and read a lot of info about this including this board which I too enjoy. From what I’ve discovered, the best treatment is a combo of statins and a PSK9 inhibitor like Praluent or Repatha and I believe Leqvio is in that category. I’m a journalist and am soon going to write an article about the stress caused by people having this test. I wish I had never taken it. It’s changed my outlook about my own health and I’m not really sure it means anything. Statins, which I’ve taken for years, are designed to calcify plaque so it’s not dangerous. So does the fact that my score is 642 (my wife’s is 0 and she has not taken statins) mean I’m somehow at risk? I’m not convinved.

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I sometimes wonder what would have happened to me if I hadn't take this test and gone on Crestor. Would I have died in five years or 20 years if I hadn't gone on statins? I'm healthy otherwise, asymptomatic, still do sandbag training at 61, walk a mile around the neighborhood at least 5x a week and no family history of heart disease except my father dying at 84 from a heart attack. My nuclear stress test and echo both came back normal. I sometimes question if this was a good thing or not. Guess there's no real way to tell.

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@writer418

I tried Prluent and my LDL plunged as did overall cholesterol numbers. of course then my insurance stopped paying so I’ve switched to Repatha which is I’m told similar. Whatever you do, I’ve listened and read a lot of info about this including this board which I too enjoy. From what I’ve discovered, the best treatment is a combo of statins and a PSK9 inhibitor like Praluent or Repatha and I believe Leqvio is in that category. I’m a journalist and am soon going to write an article about the stress caused by people having this test. I wish I had never taken it. It’s changed my outlook about my own health and I’m not really sure it means anything. Statins, which I’ve taken for years, are designed to calcify plaque so it’s not dangerous. So does the fact that my score is 642 (my wife’s is 0 and she has not taken statins) mean I’m somehow at risk? I’m not convinved.

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In some ways I too wish I had not gotten the test. No one can adequately explain what it means.
My cardiologist says my score didn't go to 3500 overnight, I figure I was over 400 (very high risk) for over 10 years. So I am overdue for a heart event. What a way to live.
My health has deteriorated since because I can't tolerate rosuvastatin, now down to 5mg but still have aches in the buttocks and legs.
On the other hand, I don't want to dismiss conventional medical thinking.

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@writer418

I tried Prluent and my LDL plunged as did overall cholesterol numbers. of course then my insurance stopped paying so I’ve switched to Repatha which is I’m told similar. Whatever you do, I’ve listened and read a lot of info about this including this board which I too enjoy. From what I’ve discovered, the best treatment is a combo of statins and a PSK9 inhibitor like Praluent or Repatha and I believe Leqvio is in that category. I’m a journalist and am soon going to write an article about the stress caused by people having this test. I wish I had never taken it. It’s changed my outlook about my own health and I’m not really sure it means anything. Statins, which I’ve taken for years, are designed to calcify plaque so it’s not dangerous. So does the fact that my score is 642 (my wife’s is 0 and she has not taken statins) mean I’m somehow at risk? I’m not convinved.

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If you are looking to interview anyone for this article, please reach out to me. I’d love to include my thoughts. Private message me for my details.

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@ndealw

When I got my test results back I got kinda freaked out because my CAD score was 595 and anything over 300 was considered high risk. Until I joined this group, I had no idea it was possible for scores to be over 1000 and 2000. I am 68 and asymptomatic, but my dad died of a heart attack at my age, and my brother had a heart attack at 44 (heavy smoker and alchoholic, and I am neither) My lipids are pretty good on 20 mg Rosuvastatin and ezatimbe, except for my Lipoprotein a which is greater than 600nmol/L, which statins don't affect. My cardiologist wants to put me on Leqvio which targets Lipoprotein a, but my insurance won't cover it, plus it seems like it's still in the experimental stage and there doesn't seem to be proof at this point that it actually lowers risk of heart attack or stroke. My cardiologist also says there is a new one that will be available in about a year, but again it will take time to get risk outcome data. I have a tendency to get bad leg cramps that may be attributable to the statin, and I'd love to at least reduce my dose. Sometimes it seems like there's not much point in all these medications, because they can't prove that they lower risk, but the doctors have to do SOMETHING when your scores come back high. So far I am enjoying this forum, and find it somewhat reassuring, so I'll keep reading!!

Jump to this post

I tried Prluent and my LDL plunged as did overall cholesterol numbers. of course then my insurance stopped paying so I’ve switched to Repatha which is I’m told similar. Whatever you do, I’ve listened and read a lot of info about this including this board which I too enjoy. From what I’ve discovered, the best treatment is a combo of statins and a PSK9 inhibitor like Praluent or Repatha and I believe Leqvio is in that category. I’m a journalist and am soon going to write an article about the stress caused by people having this test. I wish I had never taken it. It’s changed my outlook about my own health and I’m not really sure it means anything. Statins, which I’ve taken for years, are designed to calcify plaque so it’s not dangerous. So does the fact that my score is 642 (my wife’s is 0 and she has not taken statins) mean I’m somehow at risk? I’m not convinved.

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@ndealw

When I got my test results back I got kinda freaked out because my CAD score was 595 and anything over 300 was considered high risk. Until I joined this group, I had no idea it was possible for scores to be over 1000 and 2000. I am 68 and asymptomatic, but my dad died of a heart attack at my age, and my brother had a heart attack at 44 (heavy smoker and alchoholic, and I am neither) My lipids are pretty good on 20 mg Rosuvastatin and ezatimbe, except for my Lipoprotein a which is greater than 600nmol/L, which statins don't affect. My cardiologist wants to put me on Leqvio which targets Lipoprotein a, but my insurance won't cover it, plus it seems like it's still in the experimental stage and there doesn't seem to be proof at this point that it actually lowers risk of heart attack or stroke. My cardiologist also says there is a new one that will be available in about a year, but again it will take time to get risk outcome data. I have a tendency to get bad leg cramps that may be attributable to the statin, and I'd love to at least reduce my dose. Sometimes it seems like there's not much point in all these medications, because they can't prove that they lower risk, but the doctors have to do SOMETHING when your scores come back high. So far I am enjoying this forum, and find it somewhat reassuring, so I'll keep reading!!

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Was your father or brother on a statin? According to the CDC, those who take statins have a 25% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Also by reducing cholesterol, every millimole per liter you drop your bad LDL cholesterol, you may live about three years longer. There are a ton of reputable studies worldwide that medication can indeed reduce your CAD probability.

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When I got my test results back I got kinda freaked out because my CAD score was 595 and anything over 300 was considered high risk. Until I joined this group, I had no idea it was possible for scores to be over 1000 and 2000. I am 68 and asymptomatic, but my dad died of a heart attack at my age, and my brother had a heart attack at 44 (heavy smoker and alchoholic, and I am neither) My lipids are pretty good on 20 mg Rosuvastatin and ezatimbe, except for my Lipoprotein a which is greater than 600nmol/L, which statins don't affect. My cardiologist wants to put me on Leqvio which targets Lipoprotein a, but my insurance won't cover it, plus it seems like it's still in the experimental stage and there doesn't seem to be proof at this point that it actually lowers risk of heart attack or stroke. My cardiologist also says there is a new one that will be available in about a year, but again it will take time to get risk outcome data. I have a tendency to get bad leg cramps that may be attributable to the statin, and I'd love to at least reduce my dose. Sometimes it seems like there's not much point in all these medications, because they can't prove that they lower risk, but the doctors have to do SOMETHING when your scores come back high. So far I am enjoying this forum, and find it somewhat reassuring, so I'll keep reading!!

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@markdeegan

K2 to some degree lowers calcification. Unfortunately, that means that uncalcified plaque will be there instead. Uncalcified plaque is unstable plaque.
Statins calcify plaque, thereby making it more stable. There is probably no real way to remove calcified plaque, which is in effect, a rock…

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Calcified plaque can be removed with rotational atherectomy which inserts a device into the artery and sands it down.

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K2 to some degree lowers calcification. Unfortunately, that means that uncalcified plaque will be there instead. Uncalcified plaque is unstable plaque.
Statins calcify plaque, thereby making it more stable. There is probably no real way to remove calcified plaque, which is in effect, a rock…

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@ahl

My doctor put me on vitamin K2. I had already been on a statin for 20 years and have very good cholesterol numbers but an high LAD score and my blood pressure was well controlled. She said K2 helps to dissolve plagues. Her goal is to put all cardiologists out of business. PS her husband is a cardiologist! I’ll be going for another calcium test in the fall so we’ll see if there is any progress. I take a D3K2 combo since I was also low in vitamin D. It can’t hurt and it might help. I also eat wisely. Heart disease runs in both sides of my family but I’ve made it to almost 80 following her advice so I’ll continue to do so.

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I’m always interested in healthy alternatives, please post your progress after re testing. Cheers and all the best .

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@ahl

Thank you for your reply and for the feedback. I read the article which deals with the heart valve. Fortunately, I don’t have that issue. I have only one artery with a cholesterol issue, the LAD. All of my tests, and they were extensive, showed a heart working well especially for a female my age — no symptoms. I’ll continue to watch for additional research and info for K2 and heart disease. In the meantime, I’ll follow my doctor’s recommendation. It can’t hurt.

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That's great you are asymptomatic, that study says that K2 "suggests" it may help with calcium issues in arteries (and not valves) but that's pretty weak language.

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