Very High CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM

[Highlands]

I recently had a scan to detect level of CAC and this turned out to be very high > 2000.
I have no symptoms and due to family history and high cholesterol I adopted a very good life style and I keep fit. I play squash 3 times a week and have done for more than 5 years - not so regularly before this.
Currently on 20mg Astorvastatin but this will be reviewed.
Also take Omega 3 and garlic supplements, use Soya milk only and have mainly vegetarian diet (apart from fish) with plenty of fruit.
I'm 54 and all other results from health review (including diet) were absolutely fine.

What are options from here on?
Is the game of squash still a good idea in light of this?
Could this be old accumulation that is not increasing rapidly?

Thanks

[JuneM]

A related discussion, calcium in aorta was started.

[clavus]

Check out the book "Track Your Plaque" by William Davis MD.  I am surprised an exercise stress test with contrast wasn't recommended for you. Me, I'd want a heart cath but your insurance doesn't want to start with that. In my case, the one heavily calcified area was only 30% occluded and I had good collateral circulation. So I didn't need a bypass when they fixed my aneurysm, but I sure eat smarter now. Your diet sounds good. I recommend Life Extension magazine's articles on supplements for atherosclerosis (www.lef.org.) taking in to account the fact that they are pill sellers. They were onto homocysteine and fish oil way before the typical doctor (I are one, by the way.) Most doctors are waiting for endless studies to prove things like pomegranite juice. Maybe we don't have the time to wait. Some supplements should be intensely studied, and used, in my opinion. Fortunately (?), they cannot be patented so the big drug are not interested in doing the research. The German government has been doing a good job reviewing them.

[Forum-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,
This is why I do not generally screen asymptomatic people -- now you worried and you were already doing the right things.

What are options from here on?

I agree with what you are doing currently.  I like to maximize statins (lipator, atorvastatin, others) down to a low LDL -- don't generally put a number on it.  I would adjust the dose for symptoms of myalgias or significant increases in liver enzymes (rare).


Is the game of squash still a good idea in light of this?

If you are not having symptoms, I probably wouldn't have ordered the test and therefore would not have limited your exercise.  I don't think exercise is a problem, but you will have to talk to your physicians in case there is additional information that I am not aware of.

Could this be old accumulation that is not increasing rapidly?

There is no way to know this.  The only way to assess rate of accumulation is multiple studies and I don't think there is any data to suggest this is a good idea.  Continue to maximize risk factor reduction.

I hope this helps. Thanks for posting.