How worried should I be? High calcium score and blockages

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i had a CT angiogram due to palpating and abnormal echo stress test. Total calcium score is 937. I'm 64 years old. This let to angiogram and 2 blockages were found, balloon and stented. 

80-85% blockages were in LAD and Distal circumflex. Other areas showed "minor lumen irregularities"

my my cholesterol is 136 without mess, my lol is 75, hal 31, triglycerides 148. But had very high triglycerides for years until 3 years ago. I'm not overweight, don't smoke

how worried do I need to be. Totally depressing,

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    I am bumping this up due to no replies. My primary concern is the high calcium score of 937. How does this affect my prognosis and life expectancy assuming I become very aggressive about diet and exercise
  • Posted

    It must have come as a shock to discover this and I am sorry you are so worried. The important thing is that the blockages are now clear so you can relax! Worrying will not help your overall health. Can you make any positive changes in your lifestyle as this can help overall. I'm sure you've been advised about healthy diet, exercise,etc by the specialist treating you? Try to reduce anything that is causing stress. Maybe a magnesium supplement would help? Hope you feel better soon.
  • Posted

    you ask how worried do you need to be, not at all, unless of course you want to

    be.  I knew a gentleman, a good friend of mine, the same age as you.  The drs

    told him after his procedure that they'd see him in six months.  They also told him

    to stop worrying, because when you have a cardiac condition, worrying just makes

    it worse.  The only person who could stop his worrying was him, he wasn't able

    to and he died.  The message you can take away from this is, stop worrying, that

    is the absolute worse thing you would want to do.  I have a high calcium score too,

    and when I was in cardiac rehab 18 years ago a nurse did tell me that calcium supplements are not a good thing to take when there is already calcium deposits

    in your arteries.  Thats not to be confused with dietary calcium you would get from

    eating green leafy vegetables.  I don't drink cows milk, its for calfs, not humans. 

    Babies made need it for proper brain development, but adults certainly don't need 

    it.  I don't know what else I can add to what I've already said.  If you have hypertensiion, I'm not sure if you mentioned whether you have that or not, then stress reduction or prevention might be in order. I wish you good health.  I hope I

    make it to 64 and even beyond.  I try not to worry about whats already happened to

    me as I know that won't help me at all.  Keep in touch.

  • Posted

    Thank you both for your replies. I know it's not good and pointless to worry, but as you probably know, easier said than done. 

    I don't really know what more I can do, other than small improvements in my diet. My cholesterol is 136 BEFORE I went on statins 2 weeks ago, and while my HDL is a bit low at 31, all of my other numbers are normal range.i exercise 3-4 days a week.

    i guess I have to step up exercise.

    ive read that 80% of heart attacks don't come from blockages but from a piece of plaque breaking off and clotting, and I am afraid of a sudden event. I think I am at high risk of that with my calcium score, so hard not to worry, even though I know you are correct.

     

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