I have a very high calcium score. What next?

My research, and what I follow, is that your environment is 75% of the risk, and genes the last 25% (I've seen numbers as high as 90/10, but I'll go with the most common numbers). Meaning, what you eat, how you exercise, sleep quality, etc., matters a great deal. And since I'm beating my family history with my lifestyle, I'm a believer.

That means near daily cardio exercise, a mostly plant based diet, no red meat, no tropical oil, no fried foods, etc. It's working for me (yes, also with drugs), so consider all the options and choose what works for you

Thanks for sharing this. I did the initial patient study on Niacin where we got up to 3000 mg/day. It did lower LDL and raise HDL, and I was on this (at 2000) until a few years ago when word started getting out that the high Niacin intake had a negative effect. The world is still learning what works and what doesn't

Got it, thanks.

Here's his Wiki - not sure it sounds favorable. Didn't complete residency? Not board certified? No fellowship training?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Attia

Okay so here's the book I read/listened to where the doctor insisted that what you eat has no relationship to the cholesterol your body produces. His name is Dr. Peter Attia: "Outlive, the science and art of longevity" He seems legit to me. Of course, he's selling stuff like his podcast, books etc. but he is a well-respected doctor with testimonials from well-known people. I have not vetted him like a seasoned journalist. See for yourself. He's all over the internet.

I agree, my diet is pretty much pristine and I know my body produces the cholesterol. For me I have a high VLDL level and Lp(a). But my doc doesn't want me to eat eggs so I am more comfortable following her advice. I figure she knows more than I do about all of this.

Donna

Anyone take Niacin? I saw a recent publication that Niacin may actually be worse for CV disease.
"How excess niacin may promote cardiovascular disease"
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-excess-niacin-may-promote-cardiovascular-disease#:~:text=A%20metabolite%20of%20niacin%20(vitamin,effects%20of%20too%20much%20niacin.

Hi Missy,

My 2235 CAC was shortly after the stents were put in place so you are a long way from that level. I hope you are on a statin or similar cholesterol lowering drug. I couldn't tolerate statins and this was before the injectable non-statins were developed so my body was continuing to produce plaque and it was being deposited in my arteries.

It sounds like you have a good cardio. I have the nuclear stress test about once every three years. I have echocardiograms every 6 months which keeps an eye on things. For me, for a few months I experienced left arm pain while walking up hills. I thought it was because I was pinching something in my neck because of my posture. On the day that I went to the ER, I found the most minimal amount of effort was causing left arm pain that took a half hour to ease. For me, the left arm pain was not like a muscle ache -- it was totally different and I was quite aware it was cardio related. On that day I called my cardio and she sent me to the ER and the catheterization and stents were done the next day.

I wish you good health and a long life.

Donna

Donna I am 54 CAC 900 asymptomatic . I had stress test with exco on treadmill. How often did you get checked for blockage and what tests . I heard nuclear stress is more accurate ? I know the cath is too invasive for an asymptomatic person . Also any words of wisdom because every time I feel a twinge I think now I am having a heart attack when before I knew I was fine . I am on several medications and good weight

I’ll look up the book where it comes from but it was written by a doc and he was absolute in his statement that what you eat has nothing to do with cholesterol. Sorry if I don’t have that at my breakfast table but I promise to send.

Just a word on cholesterol. I was tested for and found to have lipoprotein a , which apparently only 15 to 20% of the population possess. This is almost like a super cholesterol which attaches itself to your arteries and cannot be treated with statins. It is not tested for as standard because there is nothing specific to be done to treat it. However, my preventative cardiologist believes, and I agree, that this information allows you to make better informed decisions about my own health care. I only attended him because there was a family history of early cardiac issues. So he found that I had a higher than expected calcium score for my age of 66.....he doubled my statin meds from 10 to 20 and I have improved my diet, ensured better sleep and take more exercise. My HDL cholesterol has dropped to 1.3 and that will hopefully help to counter the sinister effects of the lipoprotein a. Lipoprotein a runs in families and is characterised by early cardiac events. I was advised to inform my children and siblings so they can also get tested. So this might be a test worth getting for someone who has concerns about cardiac health. I live in Ireland and had to go to a specialist clinic to get the test done.