Calcium score anybody?

[Dawgpound Hank]

I'm posting this in here since I see General Health section isn't near as active as here, and I'd like more responses.

Any of you guys had a calcium score done? They do a CT scan of your heart and it shows any calcium/plaque buildup in your arteries. I recently had this done. The lower the # on the calcium score, the better. Zero is pristine. My result was 220 - which on the scale they use, that translates to moderate calcium/plaque buildup in the arteries. Certainly not what I was hoping for, but my doc said considering my age (59), the fact that I've always been rather big, that I've eaten enough red meat for prolly 5 guys over my life span, and that I used to smoke, that 220 isn't so bad. He doesn't know about my gear history, but that doesn't help either. Anyways, he put me on Crestor and a baby aspirin every day. Not sure if the Crestor will help since my total cholesterol is very low at 110, LDL is in check and HDL is slightly low. Also triglycerides are in check. I've been taking a baby aspirin every day for 20 years now.

I was watching Dennis James most recent podcast, and he had Rich Gaspari on. Rich said he had a calcium score done and his was 900!

That's like a walking heart attack waiting to happen. My doc told me not to worry unless it was over 400.

Anyways, just curious if any of ya'll had one done. I initially got the idea from Palumbo, who has mentioned how important this test is to get done, especially for guys who have been running gear for many years. It's pretty cheap actually - they charged me $190 for mine. My insurance woulnd't cover it, but I felt it important enough to get 'er done so I just paid outta pocket. Any of you bros who have been on the sauce for years might wanna consider getting it done to let you know where you stand & to address it. Also, if any of you know much about this topic - do you have any advice/tips to lower the calcium score, or if that is even possible?

 

[MorganKane]

My wife had it done some months ago.
Her score was less than 200.
Her LDL has always been high, runs in the family but her HDL is like 70.
The issue for her was that she had the build up in the "widow maker".
She has been on crestor and something else for a bit now but her cholesterol is much better now.
Last blood work was like perfect.

I had a cardio work up but did that do the calcium test.

 

[rawdeal]

I haven't had it done yet, probably should, but thanks for this thread. One of the better contributions from a new member , even any member ... especially us older members

Welcome!

 

[MorganKane]

I had a full cardio workup that included nuclear stress test I think they called it.
The doc was a cunt so never spoke to her again after the last test but got the report.
I will probably see another cardio doc and do the calcium test.

 

[rawdeal]

I had a full cardio workup that included nuclear stress test I think they called it.
The doc was a cunt so never spoke to her again after the last test but got the report.
I will probably see another cardio doc and do the calcium test.

"Full" and "nuclear stress test" are words I remember from mine, but I also don't remember them telling me my Calcium score

 

[Shock]

The doctor administering a DoD physical before I went overseas years ago suggested this. Mine was 0 (probably 10+ years of continuous usage prior to this test). From what you mentioned, you're doing all that you can, as long as you're also monitoring your BP. I don't believe it's reversible, so managing your current situation and avoiding further calcification is all you can do.

 

[rot-iron66]

Never go on calcium score alone. Its more misunderstood than anything these days.
A calcium score of zero can have 90% blockage w/ soft-plaque, which it doesn't show you.
Calcium score of 400+ can have zero blockages, with little spots all over that just add-up to a total.

The follow-tests are whats important after you get a score. (Nuc-Stress, Stress-Echo, etc)...

 

[rot-iron66]

Never go on calcium score alone. Its more misunderstood than anything these days.
A calcium score of zero can have 90% blockage w/ soft-plaque, which it doesn't show you.
Calcium score of 400+ can have zero blockages, with little spots all over that just add-up to a total.

The follow-tests are whats important after you get a score. (Nuc-Stress, Stress-Echo, etc)...

Fixed ^

 

[Tuffoldman]

Never go on calcium score alone. Its more misunderstood than anything these days.
A calcium score of zero can have 90% blockage w/ soft-plaque, which it doesn't show you.
Calcium score of 400+ can have zero blockages, with little spots all over that just add-up to a total.

The follow-tests are whats important after you get a score. (Nuc-Stress, Stress-Echo, etc)...

The problem you have to be careful of the calcium scores is when they do those it doesn't tell you if this calcium is build up on the outside or the inside of the arteries like noted above you could have a very low score but still have blockage or you could have a very high score and have very little blockage. I had a client that was at like 900 or something like that he went into a tailspin because he thought he was getting ready to die the doctor told him that's not all that bad they did some type of angioplasty or something along those lines where they actually look at it from the inside and he had very little blockage not even enough for a stent

 

[Warhead14]

Get one every year, this year 14.2

 

[jipped genes]

I have an order from the doc to get one. I guess it is a good to get but rot-iron's post makes me wonder if I should my LDL has always been high.

I take K2 which is supposed to prevent buildup of plaques but I had no idea about soft plaques.

 

[rot-iron66]

I have an order from the doc to get one. I guess it is a good to get but rot-iron's post makes me wonder if I should my LDL has always been high.

I take K2 which is supposed to prevent buildup of plaques but I had no idea about soft plaques.

Get it done. If you have some it triggers all the needed follow-up tests. I had some that was scattered all around which totaled 400.
At first it looks bad. Then you get all the tests (Nuc-stress, stress-echo, etc), and it showed just tiny spots where statins were doing their job, calcifying plaque.
All arteries are wide-open, ejection-fraction of 65%, etc...

They explained 400 all in one spot could be very bad, this one totaled 400 and was nothing. People hear buzz words these days, jump in an get the test, think they are 100% fine.
Very far from truth. MY buddy Pete scored a zero on calcium, then had widow-maker heart-attack and stents put in. (Major buildup of soft plaque).

• A normal heart’s ejection fraction may be between 50 and 70 percent.

Like ejection fraction, people hear "65%, oh my god thats horrible, shouldnt it be 100%"??

No, your heart cannot pump 100% of the blood out of the chamber for each beat, or you'd be dead...