I have a very high calcium score. What next?

Ok yesterday, I had a massive gout attack. The only other one I had was in 2007 and by avoiding some foods, it was the only one. Now I'm on statins and I feel that they caused the gout. No gout in 11 years and I just lost 17 lbs. and I have been eating right. My heart doctor says no but I really think it's the statins.

Thanks, @keithl56, that's good information. My doc didn't mention the possibility of liver problems from the increased dosage (40 to 80). I wonder if I should inquire...

I'm 62 and my father died at 55 (as well as grandfather, aunt, and uncle all in the 40's and 50's, plus 3 cousins with heart attacks and/or stents also at young ages). I'm asymptomatic and also have had a good stress test. I have maintained my ldl in the 50-70 range for years with 20mg Crestor and 10mg Zetia. After my high cac score (1014) my cardiologist call the very next day and was very alarmist due to the risk associated with the high cac (25% chance of a major CV event within a year, likely one within 3-5 years).. He immediately increased my statin to 40. Within a month my liver enzymes increased to 5-6 times the mormal upper limits, whereas in the past they never were outside normal limits. I then had to stop the statin completely for a month which got my AST back to normal and my ALT to 1.5 times normal (he said it's OK as long as it is not more than 2.5 times normal). I'm now back to 20mg and am being monitored every sis months.

As long as you are asymptomatic and living a healthy life style there is not much else you can do. As soon as you experience symptoms make sure you call your doctor or get to a hospital. Knowing you have a high cac score is a double edged sword. It is good to know you are at high risk so you can manage the risk factors that are within your control. However, that same knowledge can create stress and anxiety with the uncertainty of if/when you may have an event. If the latter is a major issue make sure you reach out and address it to avoid sure it doesn't lead to situational depression. You have to live your life as normally as possible!

I'm 54 and recently got a calcium score of 1525, which scared me (my dad died of a heart attack at 58). Cardiologist doubled my statin dose and scheduled a stress test. The stress test is normal with a Duke treadmill score of 10 and and the left ventricular ejection fraction is 74%. I'm told this is all great. But how do I reconcile the bad CTC score with the good stress test score? Thoughts?

Thanks for the reply, Bruce. I guess I'l stay with the statins and eat really healthy. Sounds like you're handling the situation. Best to you.
Domenic
Brooklyn

Hello,
I've had 3 heart surgeries. I'm 53 years old this year. The bad calcium score was 10 years after the 2nd(Aortic Aneurysm). After the Heart Saver CT Bad Calcium Score the Cath Lab result was Arteries look good, calcium in the walls, but the Aortic Valve is leaking very bad. Aortic was replaced this past January. I posted a 6 month update in the Heart Section of this forum.
I take thinners for the mechanical valve. Been taking statins since ~2002 or so. I also avoid greasy food, don't eat pork at all and only cook with olive oil/avocado oil. Some folks that take statins rely on the medicine and eat really bad stuff. I try to make it easy on myself and control what is coming in. I have no side effects from taking statins. Nothing at all.

Hope this helps.

Bruce
Texas

Hey Bruce. What other heart problem did you have? Mine was enlarged arteries, which slows down the flow of blood. So clotting is the major danger.
They want me to take a large dose of statins to handle cholesterol, but I'm having second thoughts. Some think that stuff is poison.

Hello,
My Calcium Score was real bad some years ago like yours. I was in the Cath Lab in short time. The calcium was in the walls of the arteries, just like you. I had other problems to take care of with the heart, but at least this was not one of them. Maybe in the future they will develop a test to rule out our situations so the fire bell isn't rung. I wonder how often this happens?

Bruce
Texas

No stenosis may mean the calcium is actually in the walls of the arteries.

Exaclty what I had- check out my post today2 hours ago · Coronary artery Ectasia (CAE) in Heart & Blood Health

I got a 2996 score on the Agatston test. I got scared, and I successfully pleaded to my doctor to authorize an Angiogram.
Before the test, I met with the procedure doctor and he said possibly the majority of the calcium was in the walls of my arteries, and
not in the arteries themselves, which would cause a blockage or narrowing. That turned out to be the case, and he said a stent was not needed.
However, the angiogram did show a significant amount of ectasia in the top sections of the 4 main arteries. A serious and rare condition,
affecting 5% of heart patients,it's the enlargement of the arteries to at least 1.5 times their regular size which can create a slowdown of bloodflow, and most seriously, clots. It is best managed by diet, exercise and medication, especially aspirin and Plavix. I'm on BP meds and a statin too. And I have to lose 35 pounds.

I would be grateful to hear from others who have this condition, and how they are dealing with it.