They started to stent, but had to go the bypass route. Who does that? The cardiologist I saw was not my regular cardiologist because mine was out on disability. Understanding and monitoring health risks related to body fat distribution and bone density. I dont smoke . I started being treated for it when I was about 40, and it took a few adjustments to find a combo that worked (Crestor and TriCor). Suite 200 Prior he did an EKG, ultra sound of my heart all normal. Fasting glucose measures the best case scenario which is why the HbA1c (the measurement of your blood glucose for the past 3 months) or fasting insulin (how much insulin youre producing to get to your best case blood glucose) would be much better measures of how your body is managing glucose. We read about taking Vitamin K and are starting to take it. In my opinion, the most important thing is to continue with your health lifestyle and abstain from smoking. Furthermore, there is no evidence for the hypothesis that reducing coronary calcium will be beneficial. Of course I think you should listen to your doctor. Heres a link to his blog post theres a link to the actual study in his post: https://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/the-straight-dope-on-cholesterol-part-vi. I had a calcium score of 150, age 65 and ardent weight lifter and vegetarian for many years, my doctor put me on statins because my cholesterol levels were 209, I took them for about a month, the cholesterol level did drop, but the amount of cramps and charlie horses I experienced were too muh to bear, I took myself off them and continued my lifestylepharmaceutical companies and doctors dont want you to get well, they want customers that will continue taking their often fatal pillshave no trust in doctors in general or the pharmaceutical companies, so I opt to go the natural way, herbs and plants, and wholesome foods. The video is really good, not only does it explain the difference between relative risk and absolute risk but it tells you the true numbers on statins. RCA 20. Ive always been active. The only acceptable answer is for him to cite the appropriate studies, which if you then dig into youll find out that the benefit is vanishingly small if its there at all. That is where the debate is, whether statins reduce all cause death in women, not whether statins work at ALL in women. They are also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Score was 1100. I think it would be very prudent to see how MFs change to reducing carbohydrates affects his lipid profile and it wouldnt hurt to have a C-reactive protein test done to check on inflammation. If this happens, your GP will stop your ACE inhibitor and may prescribe an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) instead. Doctors dont even test C-reactive protein. My first Cholesterol test was done when I was 28, and it was 250. does my score and my LDL number indicate that I have very bad problems? My parents were first generation and they ate like their parents did. https://www.docsopinion.com/2015/04/14/statins-for-women/. I get a sonogram and that checks out ok. The score is broken down by each artery, but the total score is 160 (worst in LCx, 115, zero for the LAD). Interestingly, however, statins do not reduce calcifications in the coronary arteries. What other treatment is there? Am I taking a real risk by not taking the statins etc? My cardiologist says my Cholesterol numbers are a good indicator and that repeating the scan after only 3 years will not give me any answers and subject me to more radiation. I workout 5 days a week. Angioplasty or surgery is not a treatment for calcifications or high calcium score per se. In order to see the whole picture it would be interesting to have some information on your lipid profile. The rule of thumb I use for heart health is your triglycerides divided by your HDL. Chest CT came back with new findings. My cholesterol has always been in that range. Our diet and daily exercise have always been disciplined. Thank you for that reminder. As an example, taking insulin when youre diabetic does control blood sugar but it doesn nothing in terms of curing the diabetes. This is incorrect advice. GNG usually only kicks-in in the morning, when liver glycogen is most likely to run out. At Healient, we believe your treatment experience should live up to the trust you place in our team. The radiologist said I should reduce my risk factors. It was the first time I ever saw white bread. It needs to stop. Believe it or not but this does not cause me any stress whatsoever nor does it stress me out when people disagree with me. Bob, you are a rock star. The study also collected data to study the association between body composition and other health conditions and risk factors, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and activity and dietary patterns. Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation. It was at least 10-15 years ago. Statins are often recommended if the CAC score is above 100. This is why heart attacks often occur out of the blue and sometimes shortly after a thorough work-up with all kinds of tests like, exercise testing, nuclear scans, CT scans etc. Healient Physician Group is the leading cardiology clinic serving patients across the K.C. I was shocked that I had 50% blockage with a calcium score of 33. My C-Reactive Protein is .02 which is very low (this measures inflammation). Not happy!! My score was 926. Im sorry but this is too much. It seems doubtful that the small increase in the incidence of diabetes (a risk factor associated with increased CAC progression) associated with statin use is playing a role. Based on what it says above and the fact that you have had a progression of your CAC (even though your baseline score is low), I would guess that your doctors thinking is taking into account the following: 1) If your CAC is progressing at a higher than desired amount, it infers that your soft plaque may be increasing. No sugar. MF Most people tolerate statins very well and 10 mg Lovastatin is a relatively low dose (side effects are less likely with smaller doses). I wonder if the statins contributed to his death? The temp cardiologist ran a number of tests echocardiogram, stress test, day heart monitor,etc. However, if the amount of calcium is higher than expected by age, it may reflect an increased heart attack risk. I turn 69 in a couple of months and had a coronary calcium CT scan yesterday. Play basketball twice a week as well for about 2-3 hours at a time. I have no doubt you treat a lot of vegetarians and high carb paleo (a name that seems to be a contradiction to me paleo is generally low carb although higher carb than low carb if that makes sense) but Ill be honest, Im a bit surprised to read that you get true low carbers and ketogenic folks with heart disease. Cleveland Clinic. Hi Axel, I am confused what to do for the best. Youre too sure of yourself that youre right and that anyone who disagrees with you is wrong. Wish I could go back to my old heart doctor who gave me the stress test. I like this study because Gardner is a vegetarian and he was shocked to find out that low carb was the best diet (to his credit he didnt try to hide this). with cardiologist in 16 days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCk_vTkS6bU. My dr. is VERY concerned that it is all in that area, and wants me to begin statins. Please help! However I am female, only 54, with high (not OTT, but just over the recommended guidelines) LDL cholesterol, high levels of HDLs, just about zero triglycerides and a calcium score of 34, which puts me on the 90th percentile. Thank you for your response Dr Axel. This past year, I have had a carotid scan (ultrasound) which showed moderate plaque in one artery but still good blood flow, and a stress echocardiogram which showed also showed good flow with some plaque buildup. Therefore the French Paradox. I exercised 5 days per week for 1 hour ea. I have to say this has got me worried as im only 44 years old. An HDL level of 34 isnt good, that means you have one of the five risk factors for metabolic syndrome the other 4 being triglycerides over 150, high blood pressure, abdominal fat and elevated fasting glucose. Youre a good boy, Crestor. I had a terrible reaction to it and after extensive testing it was determined that I was allergic to Lipitor. In Sept. 2000 I had aCAC of 11. The key is to do anything you can re; diet , exercise, etc. I am a 66 male. All that said, I appreciate your input I have a feeling Ill need to practice more meditation from here on out. Im curious as to your opinion on the consumption of 2 grams of Aged Garlic extract daily to reduce arterial calcifications? Ive recently received a high calcium score and learned a lot from your posts. I lost a battle but I won the war because that surgeon is no longer able to hurt patients in my community. all tests showed this was anxiety related. If they had set up the trial in patients with high LDL and high CRP and shown a benefit it may have been just because the LDL was lowered. Hes 43, 10 pounds overweight, but I would say decent condition. Triglycerides are low and so is TG/HDL-C ratio. As you can probably tell Im not a big fan of taking pharmaceuticals, I feel that for the most part they are prescribed to target risk factors and symptoms which should never be confused with actually curing or preventing a disease. Were both panicking now, trying to really eat a strict diet but feel helpless. My total Cholesterol fluctuates between 300-400, BP 130/90. I was able to book my exam on a location that is close to my home and that accepts my insurance in minutes!, I scheduled a Sunday morning (COVID nasal swab) appointment at 2:30 a.m., because my sore throat woke me up and I was really concerned! I had no cardiac risk factors and was found to have a score of 330. Ate the wrong foods, etc. What could I be missing? Is there any point where it might be appropriate to sit back and ask Am I going about this the correct way? It makes me wonder who is making the rulesand if money, as usual, is the bottom line. But its hard to say whether they would have been more or less healthy substituting the whole grains for more oily fish/natural fat. Eating trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Both my parents died of heart disease but I have to say this news floored me. So I have now increased my fish oils still further, become more strict about a dairy- and wheat-free, high good fats/low carb diet, increased my exercise and sleep and bought over the counter niacin plus l-lysine, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl l-carnitine, resveratrol, curcumin, magnesium, ubiquinol and, of course, my usual D3/K2. Feeling much better. Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry: Beyond Bone Mineral Density Determination. They also help to minimise one of the side effects of calcium channel blockers, which is swollen ankles. Is CACS being used to assess risk? However, the shared features of what is usually spoken of as the Mediterranean-style diet are as follows: High consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, beans, nuts and seeds; Olive oil is the key monounsaturated fat source; Dairy products, fish and poultry are consumed in low to moderate amounts; Little red meat is eaten; Eggs are eaten zero to four times a week; and Wine is drunk in moderate (or low) amounts. Also the Linus Pauling Protocol. multi-vitamin, magnesium, Coq10) how concerned should i be about this? Certainly. However, the CAC score may be useful for individuals at increased risk based on the ASCVD score. So Im 66. I am new to this diabetes thing and my AVERAGE is 130 per wk. I have had 3 stress tests in the last 18 months and all came back normal. Low carb Atkins or Atkins like diets can be good for weight loss but for reducing the risk of heart disease, -which was the point of this article on coronary artery calcium, they may not be great. My blood pressure is 106/64 . This is the role I accepted when I adopted a minority opinion on how diet affects health and wanted to share my views. However, the drug does have the potential to help people of all ages. Im in no way trying to be rude but I think it would go against human nature to affect a behavior for 20 years in hopes of doing good for others and then be able to admit that it might not have been a great idea. CX 0 RCA 44.1 Agat. I just hope that oatmeal is still part of a heart healthy diet! Life Extension is not pro-drug company, but they do point out that statins have a role in preventing heart disease progression. Results include body fat, visceral fat, bone density. This is roughly a large teaspoon. I have been on PremPro (.625mg estrogens/2.5mg progesterone) and Estrace cream since 1/2018, as I am post-menopausal. He put me through all the tests and I passed quite easilythe stress test was a breeze. Axel did a post on the triglyceride/HDL ratio its a much better marker for heart disease than LDL-C or total cholesterol. I am a 62y.o. Usually these decision are based on the number of arteries with significant narrowing (stenosis) assessed by coronary angiography, the localization of the narrowings and the extent of myocardial ischemia. Correction-August 22, 2022: This article was updated to correctly define low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. I tell him why not try something else, what youve been doing obviously isnt working but its as if Im speaking a foreign language. My one request to you is for you to show a little humility. After reading your blog Im still resisting. The question is whether statins will bring additional benefits. Sorry Bob for not being clear on this. Additionally, regularly scheduled BodyLogic scans during the course of a weight management program will show if the weight loss is from fat stores or from muscle. There can be many reasons why your cholesterol is high: A diet high in saturated fats and animal products is a significant contributor to high cholesterol. At the one hand without RCTs of course it is fairly speculative. That being said, g iven your thoughts on arterial narrowing and whether or not they are present in someone with elevated calcium scores, would you suggest an angiogram? How do you expect to be taken seriously when you hide behind a pseudonym? National Institutes of Health: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. ACE inhibitors inhibit or limit this enzyme, making your blood vessels relax and widen. Its confusing to say Mediterranean Diet as a catch-all phrase when it could mean a number of different things. What advice have you been given? Our treatment philosophy puts you and your care first. I dont think I can really address your question directly as we seldom analyze in detail the diet of our patients. This, in turn, lowers your blood pressure. But it does work at some level, even reversing a small amount of plaque. Diet & Nutrition is a humongously complicated subject. My Doctor and I are supposed to talk about beginning statins, but i feel uneducated on this whole thing. I am a 57 yo PA, not in bad shape (exercise 3 days/week, no smoking, no drinking, no drugs), normal BMI. This seems rather a risky procedure for a person with no symptoms. Not to be offensive, but the irritating thing about your posts isnt your persistence, its that you think you have the only answer, and if someone has a different idea, you cant leave it alone and you attack. 3- Your percentile will indicate the percentage of people who are similar to you and who have a lower body fat percentage. I dont make a damn dime posting the reasons people should adopt a wheat-free, low carb diet or a fasting protocol; I simply want people to have a high quality of life free from the clutches of those who profit from their chronic illness. Changes in habits and medicine do. Using a relative risk score tells us nothing about how effective this treatment is. Webx Postoperative pain management is a significant challenge in patients undergoing Nuss repair for pectus excavatum chest wall deformity [1,2]. Just how long is it before the supposedly bad effects of a low carb, high fat diet are supposed to take effect? What do you think? & a CT scan revealed last year my coranary calcium score is 18. @ Pete: FUNNY!! The funny thing about the vegetarian diets promoted by the low fat, no meat advocates is that these diets dont just eliminate meat (and perhaps dairy), they eliminate a lot of foods that you wont find in a good, low carb diet either. I read a lot of your comments on your Disqus profile and got the distinct impression that youre a denialist, as you employ many of the tactics used by them. This is one condition where there are multiple organs that you really need look at in treatment options, as treating the osteo could make the calcification worse and vice versa. We offer electrophysiology diagnosis, testing, and treatments for a variety of cardiac rhythm abnormalities, including atrial fibrillation. Advanced Search: Use for phrases o [ pediatric abdominal pain ] Doesnt the speed of progression over time have some bearing on risk and timeline for developing CAD? Any ideas from you doctors out there, or folks with similar problems to mine? When we age, calcium deposits can be found in many parts of our bodies. We also offer Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement or TAVR for short, which adds important years to patients lives that might not have any other options to It is frustrating and scary. Cardiologist wants me to start lipitor but made no other recommendations. I noticed that before working out, my BP was 155/90. Questioning yourself all the time isnt fun. Test protocol: Arrive metal/ hard plastic free or ready to change. My 93 year old uncle was just put in the hospital for a very bad fall in a lot of pain but nothing broken. on top of the ribs than a deep pain. And more importantly is bad diet like smoking- in that I needed to give up sugar a long long time ago because the cumulative damage to my sugar-washed inflamed organs is irreversible!!!! The AANS knew I was right about the merits, because they saw the actions of the hospitals unfold, yet they decided to slap my wrist for turning on a fellow AANS member. See https://bit.ly/1Mnmijx Disqus seems to tolerate shortened links better than full ones. Over time that causes a lot of damage, damage that occurs so slowly that people think its simply part of growing old. Supplemental calcium can increase bone mineral density and bone strength. Nonetheless, the CAC score does not reflect the presence or absence of blockages or impaired blood flow in the arteries. At 68, I thought I was in decent shape until learning of this tests and repeating it to find a tremendous increase. The GPs deny that any of the effects I experienced had anything to do with the vile drugs I was prescribed. Now I am a little heavy(510-200lbs) but exercise all the time(run, bike. But if you are obstinately contrarian on every issue you will find that you are on the wrong side of the facts more often that not in life. I work out 6 days a week, have normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol levels, I have recently had an EKG and a stress test, both coming back normal. That is great! I got a 37 score at age 70. Almost two years ago, we launched PubMed Journals, an NCBI Labs project. Kansas City, MO 64114. Coronary heart disease. To be able to function normally, the heart needs a continuous supply of oxygen and other nutrients. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/02/you-can-eat-fat-if-you-choose-wisely/?utm_campaign=hvi+enews&utm_medium=email&utm_source=hv1503&utm_content=fats+moderation. So in running all those tests the calcium score was something they picked up in passing. What is your feel for Carotid IMT results? But this is a topic for another post and I apologize for taking this comment section off course. Calcified plaques are not more prone to rupture than softer plaques. Explore our research, Our vision is a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases. Youll need to see how he newer generations fare. In my opinion a stress test sounds reasonable. History: 52 years old. And despite your assertion to the contrary, there is no evidence that statins are beneficial to women of any age or any CAD history. And thats it. @Marilyn Z: If you are diabetic you should try to keep your blood sugar in check, that is lower than 140mg/dl (120mg/dl) at 1 hour (2 hours) after meals. My cholesterol and blood pressure has always been fine and i exercise 3 times a week. Am very confused about the predictive value of calcified and non calcified plaque.. If you have metal in your body (such as a replaced joint or a pin in a bone), please inform us. And whats your view on plaque regression? http://www.healthandfitnesstalk.com/the-viciousness-of-visceral-fat/ Accessed March 1, 2016. Don Unfortunately I have very limited experience with Carotid IMT. Its promising role for preventing or modulating vascular calcification is of great interest. Rachael is a freelance healthcare writer and critical care nurse based near Cleveland, Ohio. Examples of other conditions that predispose to coronary artery disease are family history, insulin resistance, physical inactivity, mental stress, and depression. As retaliation he said that I lied about the size of a screw used to harm one of these patients. I have normal blood pressure total cholesterol is 187 ldl72 hdl73 trigs 70 crp below 0. I was treated like a heretic and got regularly stoned. Again, I am not overweight and I do exercise, but the diet is the last frontier here. As I am asymptomatic with no heart problems, dont smoke, no high BP and am athletic, I resisted taking Statins. Cholesterol is a desrieable compound your body uses it as a building block in a variety of things in your body. You may be given medication either by pill or injection that slows your heart to help ensure clear images. Thanks. Stress cant be cured with diet or medicine, it starts with the person and how they think. Kansas City, MO 64114, 930 Carondelet Dr. I appreciate the information. CT scanning is used for both. We work with all major insurance companies so you can receive the most affordable care possible. (under 40 in men and under 50 in women) 4. Interesting comments above. The angiotensinrenin system is involved in growth, therefore we are not sure if its wise for pregnant women to use ACE inhibitors. Im just anti-bullshit. Whoa! By that Im not saying that everybody should take them and that the risk of side effect is zero. I am an unabashed advocate of a low carb diet. Im able to play sports, lift weights, do 5 miles a day whatever. I really am in a dilemma on the statins issue. I am not a doctor. Top 25%? I see him again in two months and, at that time, he said he would probably increase the Metoprolol to 50mg a day. As always, you will need exact information in order to be able to give advice. RE Mie: Playing the shill card is a cheap shot and a tactic used by denialists. I have no doubt he wants whats best for you. I am 57 years old. Peter heres an example of why I contribute to blogs in the manner I do. If your CAC is mostly high density you are not as bad off as you thought. I am being advised to commence statin therapystrongly! And then indicating that all-cause mortality is irrelevant is just stupid. WebToday, a heart scan, also known as a coronary calcium scan, is used to assess the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries. Small steps. cross fit). I got in right at 9 a.m., was in and out in 10 minutes, and had the results by 5 p.m. that evening. All other indicators that would lead to a high score did not apply, no diabetes, good cholesterol, low blood pressure, plenty of exercise, no drinking or smoking. Second, LDL-C is a terrible marker for your heart disease risk. Just dont like it. His cardiovascular interests include managing high blood pressure, lipids and heart failure. These may include acoronary calcium scan, which uses computed tomography (CT) to detect calcium deposits in the arteries of your heart, and blood tests for levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) andlipoprotein-a. Your body attempts to keep blood sugar in a very narrow range the amount of actual glucose in a person who is regulating blood sugar well is about a teaspoon (roughly 5 grams), thats a very small amount. Yes, that is interesting, but that article suggests blood sugar has to fall to a miniscule 3.2 for cortisol to be released. (And no. I appreciate that you have strong views yourself and Im quite interested in hearing them. No, now I know what you say it is and Im seeing exactly zero evidence this is correct and more importantly, that eating this is advantageous. The 50-81% youre talking about has do do with how good CT angiography is at measuring the degree of blockage compared with traditional coronary angiography (the gold standard). I had a coronary angiography CTA done 6-10-2015. Hi I had one of these tests done and my score was 5. Not smoking, healthy and regular exercise are key issues when it comes to lowering risk. All I can get from my Doctor is this puts me at a high risk for a cardiac event and cant predict if the plague will rupture. Meanwhile, several of my professional girlfriends, who also appear fit, have had heart attacks recently. Needless to say, I have regular visits to my EP and Cardilogist. Can I get help with paying my prescription? 37 is great you fool. Lately, ultrafast spiral CT has been used to assess coronary calcium. The second is that every low carb study Ive seen that studies inflammation shows a lowering of inflammation levels, which would indicate that eating meat does not have a significant effect on inflammation. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
. Due to the overwhelming evidence of benefit in individuals with atherocslerotic heart disease, treatment with aspirin and statins is generally advised.. In theory, a calcified plaque may be more stable and less likely to rupture than a non-calcified plaque. Agatston Score with Threshold 130 HU) Left Main = 0 Left Anterior Descending = 284 Left Circumflex = 50 Right Coronary = 109 Total = 443 IMPRESSION: The coronary calcium score was 443. Hello Dr. Axel, thanks for the wonderful explanation. I had the CT scan done in May of 2014 at the age of 38. Depending on what color it falls under, you will be in one of the percentiles (5th, 10th, 15th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 85th, 90th and 95th). I was treated with compassion and care, and I would definitely recommend St. Joseph Medical Center to others based on my experience. Third A normal LDL-C has been steadily lowered over the years by NCEP despite there being no data to indicate this is correct. Guess wha tIm doing is working. Therapeutic anesthetic options have included patient-controlled analgesia, thoracic epidural analgesia, paravertebral nerve block, subcutaneous catheter anesthetic infusion, and cryoanalgesia [316]. Your liver and cholesterol. I had neg nuclear stress test. - How does the body perceive cortisol levels i.e. According to the table above, his arterial age will be 84 years. Doctor said the statin will slow down any progression. Is it too high? To be honest, hes scaring me something I admit is easy to do. In fact theres a thesis from UNTHSC 2010 that dealt with this question and found no clear relationship between inflammatory markers and coronary calcium in people with autoimmune disease. The NNT for statins to prevent a heart attack is tiny, ones risk of contracting diabetes from a statin is actually higher. CAC score increases with age. Additional contributors include smoking, genetics, and other conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. Guidelines from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the British Hypertension Society recommend ACE inhibitors as the most suitable drug for people under the age of 55. Total Chol 205, LDL 136, HDL 60 and the tris were 79 and the VLDL 14.I will easily get the LDL down with some fine tuning of diet and exercise.My Dad passed from an MI at age 68. Are there other vitamins I should consider as an alternative? Sometimes on strenuous exercise take pulse and feel extra beats every 8 16 beats. Cranial Ultrasound. Shop online now, We fund research into a broad range of heart & circulatory diseases across the UK. To cardiologists, MD and NP all seem to think the 2005 score is unimportant as my weight, diet, exercise are all very good. Then I started mixing with bodybuilders & health professionals and learned how to use PubMed properly. I believe these tests first came available in 1999, not 1996. Anyway, my Calcium score was 7. Hi Pamela Im curious about the dramatic change in your HDL levels. It doesnt work that way. Good luck! For whatever reason, it was in my mind that the calcium score was directly related to the level of vessel blockage. This being said I have chosen to follow almost all pieces of advice derived from the Track Your Plaque experiment tank, those using annual Agatston scores in order to refine the methods to decrease the calcified plaque considering it the best available proxy to track cardiac risk. I just had another done and it was 30! Terry The calcifications are not necessarily the problem by them selves although they may predict risk. High cholesterol on its own doesn't usually cause symptoms. 2005 Mar;33(3):661-6. My blood pressure is also moderately raised so I am on Ramipril, which controls it reasonably well much of the time (although the minute I am subjected to any form of stress sometimes even just typing an email, for example my BP goes over the range.) The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) has an interesting 2010 article on the subject of statins and CAC scores. Thanks for all the feedback. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have a similar effect in lowering blood pressure and helping heart failure. Not sure what Doc would have to say about this. Im going to try to find out. After ready the blog, i am going to start taking k2. I had a CT cardiac angiography 1 month ago & the results were: Coronary calcium score: 139 Left anterior decending artery: calcified atheromatous disease involving the proximal and mid LAD causing 50% narrowing . If its high your doctor may want to put you on a statin drug. Come here Crestor. The problem with oronory calcium scores is that they dont relate to arterial obstruction and some people with marked calcium deposits especially older people have no significant arterial narrowing ( a bit like the person with normal cholesterol but still high cardiovascular risk). Im 67 years old and have been on statins for 25 years. Its not clear what CT measuring of arterial calcification really means. Looks like they finally found the smoking gun. Calcium in the arteries simply reflects arteriosclerosis, a process that will be more common and widespread as we get older, It does not measure whether there is significant narrowing inside your artery. It seems to me that the definition of right is still up for much debate. Ive been following patients with very high calcium scores (Agatston) for years and some of them seem to do very well. This was a trial that only included people with normal LDL-C. Statins are supposed to be effective because they lower LDL-C, why would anyone take a statin when they have normal LDL-C? Of course it is debatable whether 20th Century Africa mimics Palaeolithic Africa and whether northern hemispheres had the same diet. WebHealthCentral combines medically vetted health information with personal stories and advice from patients to provide you with the tools and inspiration to navigate life and make informed choices. Jimmy Moores coronary calcium score is also zero. It has been suggested, although still not proved that inflammatory diseases may affect coronary calcium. Can you please let me know what you think. I eat a low fat and lean protein diet, with the following daily supplements: o womens 1-a-day multivitamin (since 1/2014) o B-complex (since 5/2017) o Ester C, 500 mg (since 2013) o D3, 2000 mg (since 2014) o K2, 500 mcg MK-4 + 100 mcg MK-7 (since 1/2017) o Magnesium, 300 mg (since 1/2017) o Probiotic (since 11/2015) o Psyllium fiber, 6 grams (since 3/2013) I was diagnosed with Osteopenia in 9/2007, and took a generic form of Boniva for about 8 years I took low dose BCPs from 1981 2016ish. And while I have no need to lose weight I did lose 35 pounds once I ditched the carbs. You are serving so many people and your website has a nice look, reads well, and is informative. If you develop diarrhoea or vomiting due to a stomach bug, or any dehydrating illness, its important to consult your GP as they may advise you to temporarily stop taking your ACE inhibitor and restart when you feel better. So I am sure you also agree with Bob that statins suckright? Even though it cannot be prevented, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help keep the condition under control. Coronary calcification can be seen in adolescents, although it usually starts later in life. Cant take statins (metabolic myopathy). I found this out two months ago after my cardiologist recommended a coronary artery calcium scan. Because there are more studies showing the benefits of ACE inhibitors in heart failure, they are usually used first. Fitnescity's "Total Body Fat Percentage Percentile Chart"presents body composition data from whole body DXA scans for individuals who participated in the 19992004 NHANES. Some patients are asymptomatic, some are hit by acute heart attack and in some cases the disease results in sudden death, Primary prevention aims at delaying the onset of disease and it certainly involves diet as well as a number of other factors. Tall and lean. Sign up for the Doc's Opinion Newsletter and we'll let you know when a new article is available. His concern was that the width of pvc ( recovery period ) was wider than usual. Getting chest pain just thinking about all this!! Theyre asymptomatic and clinical events are rare. Your doctor obviously believes you may lower your risk further by taking statins. So I looked, and what I found made me believe that our dietary recommendations are very suspect. Coronary calcium scoring is a simple, fast, safe and accurate procedure that uses a CT scan to identify buildup of plaque in the walls of the arteries of the heart. There is some evidence as well that statins may reduce or reverse plaque build up (1,2,3, 4, 5). Other strategies that can help prevent high cholesterol include: However, if you have familial hypercholesterolemia, you may not be able to prevent it. The article was initially published August 19, 2014. I am female, exercise daily (mostly yoga, walking, and pilates), no meat other than fish, and my LDL is 60 with an HDL of 145. However, you should avoid high salt foods and avoid adding extra salt. Calcified right hilar lymph node likely reflecting prior granulomatous. I can tell he is still hesitant but is advising just as a precaution. Stop eating carbohydrates. But when I questioned you on why you felt so strongly about that you indicated that you dont actually have any real data on what your patients have been eating which would mean that were back to it simply being a strongly held opinion that I imagine youll still believe as soon as youre done reading this sentence. Doctor wants me to take Statins. Is there anything I need to do to better my heath here? Now, I live in constant fear that my calcification will progress. I kinda would like to know if lifestyle changes and habits at my age and score would be something to seriously consider as opposed to a life commitment to statins. Board-certified radiologists direct a comprehensive 24-hour imaging service including general X-rays, CT scans, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, heart scans, fluoroscopy, digital radiography, radiography, PET/CT scans, special procedures, and a 1.5 Tesla MRI. The portal is very easy to navigate. He said that its not too bad and can be managed by lifestyle changes and medication statins and asprin. 81mg of aspirin, and 1gm of fish oil per day. Have had a few pcvs but nothing alarming. Is there truly a way to reverse the damage? Ive had high cholesterol as long as I can remember & have never wanted to take statins. A meal full of carbohydrates will spike your blood which causes your pancreas to produce insulin, the hormone that is responsible for dealing with elevated blood sugar. Other than that and keeping inflammation down by low carving, Im not sure what can be done. To be able to function normally, the heart needs a continuous supply of oxygen and other nutrients. How long have you been on the high fat diet? This blog post by Dr. Peter Attia talks a bit about this in a study done on humans. I never said all-cause mortality is irrelevant. Thanks for your comments. Not too bad I guess? HDL 58 LDL 125 All other clinical indicators including ESR/CRP/Lipoprotein A are all normal. I think you should do what you can to improve your lifestyle and try lo lose weight. The score was 425! However, more information is needed in order to have a say on that, for example his lipid numbers, information on smoking, blood pressure and family history. No, statins will not help with a hangnail. words fail me! Personally I think lifestyle recommendation is immensely important. Cholesterol levels matter decades before the development of heart disease and not just after they modified their diet or took medicine after diagnosis. Once in awhile we had potatoes. should he be blaming his past, even if it was a long time ago? My salivary stress profiles (measuring cellular cortisol?) Thanks, I had a coronary artery calcium scan (EBT) in 2006 (age 58) with a score of 0. Denise. Hello, I had a chest CT Scan about four years ago and mild aorta calcification was found and I was told by my doctor that it was nothing to worry about, but I was only 42 at the time, now Im 46. https://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j201/bobbyj0708/Donna_zpsztutuj6q.png. My husband just received his CT Calcium score. However, if other factors are present (genetic factors, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, lipid abnormalities etc) it may not be enough. From what I have quickly learned from this blog and other googled articles is that progression is the problem. I think there are several things to discuss and many unresolved issues when it come to coronary artery calcium score (CACS). I have been very active since Jan 2015, working out every day for an hour or so and have lost 15 lbs. Animal models suggest that a reduction in LDL-C does not decrease the amount of plaque calcification Pathologically, statins have been shown to promote micro-calcification, which might lead to CAC score increases even when total atherosclerosis is reduced on statin therapy. Initially, the CAC score was called the Agatston score. I was really scared, feeling like a ticking time bomb. What isnt desireable is to have cholesterol get trapped beneath the endothelium in your arteries and become oxidized. WebHouston Medical Imaging can save you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on health care. No family history of heart disease. In the Northern hemisphere, edible roots could sustain people during the winter if animals were not available. tend to view the medical profession on a pedestal and its unsettling, in many ways. My score is 2005 which places me in the 96/98 percentile for heart attach or stroke. Hi Dr. Axel, Im a 46 year old male with a calcium score of 25. People younger than 55 tend to benefit more from ACE inhibitors. Im not saying this caused it but what is the likelihood that it contributed to it? My LM CAC went from 43.3 to 0 in one year. I tend to embrace when the pendulum is in the middle. Fortunately with the internet we can do our own research nowadays and make up our own minds. My 70 yr old husbands doctor suggested a heart score test for him. Their somewhat internally challenged strategy is outlined in this blog post from Dr. Dach. My cholesterol is 106 and labs are excellent, my stress test is wonderful I exercise 35 min on treadmill daily at 4.0 mph look and feel great for my age and am very active, I quit smoking 17 years ago do not drink anymore but eat sub sandwiches, bacon eggs butter and double cheeseburgers fries etc. The fact that it is associated with risk doesnt necessarily imply that calcium itself is bad. I have read that vitamin K2 works for the blood vessels, this would be a question for the doctor though! Maybe I should get a dog. Just a thought. They say statin drugs dont prevent heart attack and stroke according to studies, but they do reduce the incidence of heart attack and stroke. WebSearching for a cardiologist near you? Thanks for your input. The fact is Bob the etiology of CHD is not cut and dry and is not down to one or another factor solely. Im one of those people who have to take meds daily. Greatly appreciate feedbad. Indeed, it has been suggested that the calcium may represent shrinkage and stabilization of plaques (8). My cholesterol levels are low, tris low too, any suggestion Dont want to take statins. I walk 2-4 miles per day, eat ( mostly) a healthy diet, and am 59, 132lbs. Do I have data to back up my beliefs? My ex husband just told me his score is 1200. Rachael is a freelance healthcare writer and critical care nurse based near Cleveland, Ohio. Kansas Citys Heart, Vascular, and Wound Care Experts. Hi Deborah A calcium score of 74 puts you at the 85th percentile. The pendulum of fact and truth is constantly swinging. So yes, Im persistent because persistence is the only way I can make a dent on changing ideas. Half aerobic and half anaerobic. If there are, angioplasty may be performed. In our reports Volume130 is also reported an it is suggested that it be used to measure progression from year to year rather than AJ scores. Typo. Any advice is appreciated. My doctor said the Crestor would reverse the calcification in 5 years. Plus a glass or two of red wine. He has osteoporosis in his knee and I suspect in other places too. Good area in the heart of Houston near Dairy Ashford and Bissonet in the southwest side. Mum now has a dual-fuel brain. I am told that my family has a history of high cholesterol. Also your opinion on the Linus Pauling Protocol for doing the same? Run, dont walk from that doctor. This is the ultimate in crap science and the public in general has been hoodwinked by bad nutritional science for decades now. Anyone else out there with thoughts? My CAC score which I received online last week is a whopping 4253 with >90% blockage of my coronary arteries. You need to have a CIMT ultrasound to measure those. Bob: You and Nigel sound like Jane Curtin and Dan Akroyd: https://www.hulu.com/watch/2306, Juat so long as Im not the ignorant slut, Im fine with that comparison. I have an open mind, I am capable of changing my mind when presented with solid evidence that Im wrong. Customer services:0300 330 3322 Mine is well under even that. Im really worried as I feel I will have a heart attack at any moment. How likely do you think it is that over our evolutionary period our bodies have evolved to create a substance (cholesterol) that will kill us? Unsaturated fat: May benefit your heart when eaten in moderation. As a case in point, lets look at our earlier discussion. I believe most doctors and nutritionists who promote a low fat, high carbohydrate diet dont have a clue what theyre talking about. This stroke training course includes the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) assessment, stroke symptoms, types of stroke, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prehospital and ED evaluation, treatment options. If you think that saturated fat is bad for you then theres little I can say that will dissuade you but there may be people reading this who may be interested enough to start their own investigation. Medical prescriptions are free in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Is there a case for a 57 year old female, with a calcium test score 2.5 years ago of 34, with confirmed plaques of <50% narrowing in the LAD, to be referred for lipidology studies and further specialist screening, if her mom had severe blockages and the entire maternal side of the family has high cholesterol? Every 3 years? I have some questions about the calcium score. Lancet. The score was 373, up from 80 in 2012 and 154 in 2017. Youre just a nosy-parker who wants to criticise someone, based on your latest crack-pot hypothesis. Who should I go get a second opinion from and what are my options and risks for a heart attack? I also am a pretty healthy eater. They sometimes feel better on a plant based high carb/low fat diet. https://www.internationaljournalofcardiology.com/article/S0167-5273(11)00234-8/abstract. Should a female with last tests +/- 2.5 years ago showing Ca test score of 34 at only 54 yrs old and CT angio <50% LAD narrowing, combined with belatedly detected FH and hypertension, be referred for follow-up tests or lipids testing? 2- Identify the point where your x and y axis intersect. I may be very living proof that these scores are at best guesses. My scores came back very high at 1780. Fasting TGs are meaningless when youre on a HF diet, as exogenous TG intake suppresses endogenous hepatic TG synthesis. Yes, 9-1-7!!! All other blood work is fine other than Eos absolute at 0.5h. Eventually the insulin resistance becomes so marked that blood sugar levels become permanently elevated and this excess blood sugar does tremendous damage all throughout your body. Everyday there is a different report or study that comes out on heart disease. Axel recently did a post on low carb that discusses the new information on the topic and is recommended reading. I was horrified. Inflammation, eating processed and fatty foods, lack of exercise, etc. Blood tests after just 8 weeks on statin showed elevated CK/muscle damage and also an abnormal liver function test. Any other advise. Everything else I eat to my hearts content (and it is content). As an aside, I just went to pick up my Crestor. I used the calculator by inputting the information requested. Kruse does exaggerate somewhat, but there are quite a few national bodies who are warning against EMFs e.g. I have always been concerned about that number. My wife is Korean, so I eat some Korean food now. Here is my reference. Shou.d I be worried. However, I always believe that lifestyle issues come first, that is not smoking, healthy diet and regular exercise etc. Heres one more quick video that in anyone with an open mind should eradicate the notion that cholesterol is the culprit in heart disease. I dont know what that means but I make an appointment with a Cardiologist. Personally I would consider the trigs to be high-ish, the HDL is fine (but over 60 would be better) and the fasting glucose to be concerning. Thanks Michael. Thats a a difficult question Leigh. My cholesterol was low and my blood pressure was normal. Having high cholesterol levels can increase your risk of a heart attack, stroke, and other conditions. You can use the calculator here. And youre saying that elevated CRP is a risk factor for heart disease thats a new one on me. I just really appreciate you all for making such a stressful situation easier for us., was able to book my appointment on the location that accepts my insurance and the representative was really friendly and showed compassion since I was having a severe headache., use. Is there anyway to reverse this or am I just stuck with it? Mine was given as a percent of blockage. Out of curiosity what is a good lipid score? It has not been proven that the calcium itself causes any harm. It is unlikely that the actual calcium amount has doubled in such a short time. I made my first batch of no wheat low carb bread today and it was good! Were a team of heart, vascular, and wound care doctors, nurses, and healthcare specialists who serve the Kansas City community with patient-focused treatments. Obviously Im not a doctor, Im just a very interested layperson who thinks that the conventional wisdom for health and chronic disease is flawed. 1. And the person with a score of 20 at age 70 may have less soft plaque than the zero score person, (because all their plaque is stable). It also has the role of fatty acid storage in the body the more insulin the more fat is locked away in your ft cells and is unavailable to access for energy. Cardiovascular Diabetology 2013, Control of Coronary Calcium. Anything under 2 is good. 72 now. 2 years ago I had a scan done where my score was 405. A coronary calcium scan is performed to help clinicians assess the severity of the plaque formation that are caused by fat and calcium. I do eat pretty healthy, 85% vegetarian, no red meat, but used to smoke( quit 15 years ago) and I exercise a bit a few days a week, do yoga , walk and eat lots of veggies. I went to an iridologist who told me that my main problem, from looking in my eyes, is not cholesterol right now but insulin resistance. I heard you cant reverse the numbers. Also, I would appreciate a recommendation for how to find a good local cardiologist (I live in McLean VA) who specializes in treating/reversing early onset coronary calcification in females. Id urge you to look into it before upping your medications. find a location for COVID testing for myself and my two kids, set up our appointments together, get tested, and receive our results quickly. Also it is unlikely that any 70 year old male has no plaque in this country. How do you feel when you have high cholesterol? Shouldnt tests be done sooner? Thanks Bob! Not sure where to go from here as I run regularly, have normal baseline chol and BP and dont smoke. The best thing to do would be to adapt your diet to one of these and see how your metabolic syndrome markers change. I have a score of 430. In fact, as your cardiologist suggested, calcification of plaques may indicate healing. I believe the key to good health is to keep blood sugar at the levels that your body wants it maintained. Eat healthy. (I meant nuclear stress test.). Extensive coronary arterial calcification and mild athermatous. This procedure provides pictures of your coronary arteries in order to check there are any narrowings or blockages. I am a Type 2 diabetic with no chest pains. WebOur custom writing service is a reliable solution on your academic journey that will always help you if your deadline is too tight. What can I do. If know you get debilitating side effects from statins why would you take them? The Swiss are right behind them with regard to both dietary fats and low risk of CV disease. It has been bothering me for years that any calcification was found. The incident I had was passing out at work and then at home two days later in the shower. Because its a risk factor does that necessarily mean its a cause? The link about victorian diet and health is fascinating. It seems to me that the definition of right is still up for much debate. this forum lead to rejecting the statins and giving that doctor the flick, but its funny how that sort of experience leaves lingering doubts. Is that proven to be helpful? Theyre carb content is generally low enough that you cant eat so much that youll spike your blood sugar (although the fructose in fruit can be a problem). I had 21 lesions on my LADCA and 347 lesions on my RCA. I have been going through some recent research saying that this isnt true. Heavy burden of coronary artery calcifications. I was wondering what you do for enjoyment besides heart stuff. Another thing I think is important to understand is that we are all different. After blood workup my cardiologist put me on 20mg of lipitor. The Viciousness of Visceral Fat. Not all from the Mediterranean eat that way, but that is the standard definition. Do I have a lot of visceral fat? Statins have never been shown to be helpful for women (if anyone has a study showing this incorrect then Id love to see it), people with higher cholesterol actually live longer than people with lower cholesterol and statins can have horrific side effects. In fact, calcium may reflect a healed or repaired plaque. What concerns me is not knowing the rate at which my atherosclorosis has progressed since then after two very stressful years or whether it has stayed in check; whether the plaques are stable; what sort of non-HDL cholesterols I am producing; and what my longer term prognosis is. If your approach of 20+ years has left you unhealthy, is it a good idea to think that adding another medication or going another 20 minutes on the treadmill is going to be the magical breakthrough? I have been on statins for 10 years but cholesterol levels are still high. Oh, and aspirin at night, too. Orange and Blue chart lines. , CAC scans cant detect non-calcified plaques. I feel the only way to know for sure the damage that was caused by all the years of untreated high cholesterol would be to have an angiogram. WebThe ImageCare Center at Millburn is a premiere provider of diagnostic imaging for patients throughout New Jersey. Precise, accurate and segmental (regional)body fat data can have many benefits such as: Supporting decisions on training regimens and nutrition plans. Its all the same once it hits your gut. When their comments are full of studies with dubious outcomes (small trials, outcomes reported as relative risk only, obfuscation with confidence intervals) then I really begin to wonder about the motive behind them posting. I guess they would see if your plaque progression slowed down after 5 years maybe. Gary Taubes is a classic example of this. 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