I have a very high calcium score. What next?

@tim1028. Did you have high cholesterol before the calcium scan? Is this why your PCP ordered it? I eat a very clean diet, with alot of vegetables and very little animal protein, yet my cholesterol is on the borderline. My PCP said it could be genetics since my family has a history of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. My vegan friend's cholesterol is not that much better and he is very surprised.

Primary care Doctor was the initial drive, and the high score got the attention of my Cardiologist who followed up with a trip to the cath lab.

Bruce
Texas

A calcium score gives a good indication of plaque burden in the coronary arteries. In my case it was initiated by my PCP at age 70, and the high result determined that I should be on a statin. It also caused me to redouble my efforts to reduce my risk thru a heart-healthy diet and exercise. Cleveland Clinic publishes an informative 80-page report on Coronary Artery Disease which was helpful for me in understanding this disease. 877-300-0253 to order. Mayo Clinic has not published anything similar to my knowledge.

I have been reading all the posts on calcium scan. May I ask what prompted the scans? Was it at the suggestions of cardiologists?

Your post made me feel so much better.
I had Calcium Scan 5 yrs ago at age 71.
My score was 1,910 and it really scared me.
I am asymptomatic and feel great at age 76.

I just want to back up the advice you got above from @654321, because you have not mentioned tests for parathyroid gland function. That gland controls calcium levels in the blood as it relates to calcium needs of various tissues in your body. I add my support for testing your parathyroid, starting with a simple lab test on blood drawn in the laboratory. The test gave me a lot of confidence in my primary care physician and cardiologist. Martin

I want to thank everyone in this thread for your posts and the excellent references that are included. I just had a CT evaluation and my Agatston score was 2082! It put me at the 97th percentile for someone my age (65). I just found my score from July of 2005. At that time, I was 50 years old and my score was 544. That placed me at the 90th percentile. But hey, at least I'm a top achiever in something...

The new score was a little frightening, but reading your stories, I've mellowed out a little. I'm doing everything I can to stay healthy. I eat a reasonable diet, keep my blood pressure under control, take a statin, don't smoke, and minimize alcohol consumption. I exercise most days of the week and try to avoid stressful situations.

I did have one stent placed in an OM artery in 2006. Over the years, I've had coronary catheterizations done to rule out additional blockages, and they've all indicated the plaque is primarily in the artery wall, and not causing issues.

I've been living very well with high calcium scores for 15 years. And I'm feeling pretty darn good now. So if you get diagnosed with a high score, don't panic, take care of yourself and hopefully you can stay healthy too.

I believe that you are confusing blood calcium with plaque calcium

I had high calcium score not any where near yours Checked parathyroid have they mentioned that to you? Had mine removed and it has stayed in normal range. Just letting you know may
Be totally different than your problem

I understand how you feel. I am in a similar situation after getting a 1014 score two years ago. Unless or until you become symptomatic it is unlikely that that other than your drug regimen and healthy lifestyle recommendations that there won't be any other medical intervention. The scary thing is that you never know if you are going to have a plaque rupture and end up like your two friends. However, most studies seem to show that negative outcomes are similar whether you stay the course or have stents or bypass. The best course is to just follow your doctor's lead and try to keep a positive outlook. Make sure you recognize the mental toll this can have and talk to your doctor if you think you may need anti anxiety or depression medications until you can cope with your situation.