I’m trying to figure something out but Dr Google isn’t helping much because it’s full of contradictions and my cardiologist isn’t really answering my questions in a way that makes any sense.
Got a very high CAC score 944, and CAD in 5 arteries. Mild to moderate. No procedures at this point.
1) Is there anyone out there that has a moderate/high CAC score WITHOUT narrowings/blockages or for most of us with CAD do the 2 go together ?
2) My LAD is around 700 and long section of moderate disease. As I take high dose statins this disease will calcify which I understand is a good thing, but the artery will harden more and more at the same time. Does this hardening/narrowing of already hardened arteries actually block blood flow or just turn it into a stiffer “pipe” which we can live with for some time / many years or is this combination CAD and high CAC nailed on for an intervention?
3) Finally. I have seen many articles about reversing calcification. K2 Mk7/vit D+ calcium, chelation, high vit C etc etc etc Assuming regression of CAC was even possible, would we want to ? Surely we would just be disrupting the process of soft plaque calcification or disrupting already calcified safe plaque ?
I’d be most interested in any opinions out there…looking for a genius ! if you have answers to any of these questions.
Praying for all of your good health and peace of mind
Mark
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Mark_1968
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Hey Jim. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Gives me a little hope …. Just read one of your recent posts. I’m sorry you’re not feeling great and the question you pose:” What has happened to patient centred care, genetic profiling and personalised medicine? “ - that’s a very good question. I remember my first family doctor when I was growing up. He was a rock. Would pull out all the stops. Not saying there aren’t still great doctors out there but Times have certainly changed. Society has changed. It’s sad. Wishing you well my friend and hope you feel better very soon 🙏
Hi Mark, last year i had a cabgx2. My artery plaque on the vessels that were bypassed no further plaque was observed during the 9 month follow up CT scan. My Cardiologist said this was significant as vessels that are bypassed are prone to blocking.From my lipid research the best way to control plaque build up is to lower tryglycerides.
Check what your remnant cholestoral is as this a good determination of bad cholestoral. To calculate this add hadl and ladl and then deduct it from total cholestoral.
In a previous post you mentioned you have high tryglycerides and these are not food related.
I think the best marker is Lippoprotein little a, i have had this recently measured with results of 76 and 79. This puts me in the 80th percentile but low enough that my risks can be controlled through diet and excercise.
I just had my regular bloods done at the NHS to check what my scores are while off the statins. Then my follow up with the Cardiologist on the 27th.
Thank You for your kind words and for your advice. That is wonderful to hear about the bypassed vessels. Obviously you’re doing everything right and you have twice the protection and wonderful flow. Fantastic!
Yes I need to do a lipo-a and a few other tests. You’re also spot on about the triglycerides. I think my LDL is around 50 down from 140 pre statins and Esselstyn diet but as you say correctly, it seems that we don’t talk enough about triglycerides. Mine were still very high last time I had a blood test. Definitely need to get them down. I think they respond to weight loss rather than diet, which doesn’t seem to be shifting them much
I’m glad to hear you’re doing so well. Please keep in touch. I’m going to add you as a friend. Would love to hear how things go on the 27th
Just got my results back and my ldl has gone up to 3.5, and my hdl is 1.1. Overall cholestoral is now slightly raised. Decided to commence the statins once i complete my H Pylori antibiotic course (on the more aggressive course ). Although dont think my ldl is that high but if they reduce inflamation which is the number cause of plaque build up in arteries.My trigs were 1.0, up from 0.5 last time not sure if it statins related but did have some ice cream a few days before tbe test.
Will ask him about Apolipoprotein E when i see him and concerns.
My gamma GT LEVEL was 18 and it was the same when i was on statins which is a liver inflamation marker. When i was obese and fiagnosed with type 2 it was 156. So thats a good marker for metabolic health.
Hope this info helps.
My weight has stayed the same but i do a fair bit of cycling.
That’s very interesting Dave. Very helpful, thank You! I do have fatty liver disease but even with high dose statins, my function tests are pretty close to normal.
Absolutely correct about the inflammation. That is absolutely one of the main reasons for build up that a lot of cardiologists don’t seem to even talk about.
sorry your results weren’t quite as you’d hoped. Yes LDL is a little higher than we’d want but TG’s are still excellent at 1 and I doubt ice cream from 3 days before would be the reason. I’m still fluctuating between 1.7 and 2.7 and am on high dose statins so as you correctly say, the statins don’t seem to shift the Triglycerides and nor does a whole food plant based diet. So it’s genetics/and I’m still 8kg overweight. I was 23kg overweight 4 months ago and my TG were 5.5 ! . I think once I shift that 8kg we may be able to keep the TG in a normal range - but yes, unless you want to go plant based which I know isn’t going to happen, and you’re doing very well on Keto anyway, I guess statins would be sensible to get that LDL down a little, though obviously 3.5 isn’t terrible as you say.
Just got my h1b which was 35. Historical h1b whith a Paleo diet. I consume a fair bit of fruit especially bananas before cycling. I do not avoid saturated fat but avoid low fat spreads, and no seed oils.
That h1b is really interesting. Yes a banana is basically my breakfast. Hows your BP doing? Do you add salt to your diet? I’d imagine if it’s hot you may need to if you’re cycling.
I dont take a lot of salt with my food. For lunch at work i eat pistachios with salt, and at 9.30am i have eggs. Dinner consists of meat plus cruciferous vegetables. At the weekend i make frozen bananas and strawbs mix with unsweetened soya milk for breakfast.
My bp results are attached and i am off of bp meds.
Hi, "avoid low fat spreads" caught my attention, especially in light of the claims that spreads like 'Benecol Light Spread' make. Though they contain ingredients such as mono and diglycerides of fatty acids etc, the 'stanol esters help to lower cholesterol' (paraphrasing their claims). Would your view be across 'stanol' spreads as well, i.e. stanol based spreads actually more harmful then good? (looking to be educated 🙂) Sounds like a potential minefield for people out there wrestling with CAD / CHD etc...
Those spreads contain monsaturates same as seed oil and i havent seen any evidence showing any real benefit in taking those. More advertising to hook people in that they are heart healthy. Where are the peer reviewed medical trials. Seed oils cause inflamation a known cause of plaque build up.Eating too much unsaturated fat can lead to weight gain, and the type of fat-containing foods you eat can impact your lipid levels. Here are some other potential dangers of unsaturated fats:
Canola oil
Although considered unsaturated, this oil is highly refined and may have negative health effects.
Omega-6 fatty acids
These polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils and processed foods, and eating too much of them may increase inflammation.
Heating vegetable oils
Repeatedly heating vegetable oils can decrease their antioxidant activity and increase free radical production, which may lead to poor health effects.
I am a great believer in tailoring diet that does not spike blood sugar and i used a continous glucose monitor to see what foods spike my blood sugar. There is a guy on youtube who tests foods using a cgm which is interesting.
Some people a low fat diet suits but not me.
I weighed 110kg in 2020 eating low fat diets and today i weigh around 82kg eating Paleo.
I believe the number 1 cause is heridetary and it runs rampant on my dads side of the family and i lost two siblings.
Having had a double bypass i do not fancy going through that op again.
Hi Mark_1968, as someone with a calcium score of almost 7,000, I share and understand your concerns. I am a year down the line from diagnosis. As I understand it ( and I am not a medic) a high calcium score doesn’t directly relate to a blockage. You can have a high calcium score without it being a big problem apparently. So, the priority is not reducing your calcium score but finding out what’s going on inside your arteries. It’s good that you currently don’t have a blockage. I needed 2 stents, then a 3rd because of damage to an artery during surgery.
The best advice I received came from someone on this forum.
1. Do everything in your power to be well. That means looking at your diet ( mine is now pretty much plant based as the advice is to keep saturated fats to the minimum ), exercise, don’t smoke, drink alcohol only occasionally and try to get sufficient sleep
2. Accept the need for medication. This took me a while but I now fully embrace the need for statins to stabilise the plaque, in addition to blood thinners etc. and am hoping to introduce Ezetimibe which I understand can play a role in plaque reduction if taken in combination with statins.
3 When you meet with your cardiologist, have everything written down that you want to say and ensure that you get to say it. Don’t leave it until the end of the appointment.
4 Don’t use dr Google! There’s a lot of bad advice out there. I’ve had friends telling me to take supplements that would have interfered with my medication. There are a lot of people making considerable amounts of money from supplements that most people don’t need.
This site is a fantastic resource. I hope you find it useful.
Hi Yisselda. Thank You soooo much for your reply and your words of encouragement. You really have been through the mill ☹️ Im so sorry… yes Calcification shows stability. I found this since my post “When viewing an angiogram of a patient with very heavily calcified coronary arteries, ‘RB’, our senior and wisest of all cardiologists, would say, “and there is God’s stent.”
I believe the first 3 - 6 months after stenting are the most difficult. I’m glad you’re doing well and your tips and advice are spot on. Thank You so much, Youre a real inspiration.
Yes I’m on the esselstyn diet now and my figures are looking a lot better. I’ve also lost 15kg in 2 month. 7 to go and my BMI will be in the healthy range for the first time in 30 years …. I’m not currently a drinker but I’ll take your advice to have an occasional drink 😁😁😁 I certainly need to chill out a little.
I’ve heard excellent things about Ezitimibe and read the same as you about possible regression. I’ve also read that you can regress up to 24% of you can get your LDL under 50 - but regression starts at 70. I’ve gone from 140 (3.5) in 2 months to around 50 (1.25) with high dose atorvastatin and my Esselstyn no oil diet.
Finally. I have found a glass of beetroot juice very useful. I know it’s full of nitrates and opens up the arteries. As long as it doesn’t interfere with your meds or you have low bp you may find it helpful …. As for other supplements, other than q10 - and black garlic (please check it out) - I don’t take anything else.
I’m going to add you as a friend. Please feel free to get in touch anytime and thanks again so much for your post. You’re definitely on top of things and I know all will be well for you know
Ps. I do have blockages but they are moderate. My LAD is not restricting flow at an FFR of 0.81 but if this goes below 0.8, I may need a CABG because it’s a long section of diffuse disease and may not be able to be stented. Hey ho. So we need a little regression - hoping statins, Esselstyn diet and adding Ezetimibe same as you, may help with this 🙏 God bless
Hi Mark_1986, it sounds to me like you’re doing all the right things, and congratulations on the weight loss.
You have obviously done your homework. Esselstyn was recommended reading for me…I’m just not 100% certain about his stance on EVOO. I buy first pressing olive oil from an organic Italian farm and use that. I will need to re-read him.
Interesting about the beetroot. Thanks for the tip. I grow and eat a lot of it. I wonder if that’s enough or if it’s better juiced? I like home pressed beetroot and apple juice. I will have to be careful though as my bp tends to be on the low side. I will certainly check out black garlic. I tend to just have white.
Nice to share tips. Please don’t feel you have to take up drink though 🤣! Personally, I like a glass of red wine or two at the weekend.
Keep doing what you’re doing and all the very best.
Nothing wrong with a glass or two of red wine in fact as you know, it’s full of antioxidants as you know.
I also have a problem with no EVOO. I’m following Esselstyn to the letter at the moment but it’s a sticking point for me too. Most of the WFPB crew seem to agree that it’s not healthy, but I also have my doubts about this.
You grow beetroot ? I mean you can’t get better than that. You’ll get similar benefits from eating it as it is and unless you have high blood pressure, I’m sure it’s better for you with all the fibre etc.
Yes, black garlic is an interesting one. I love normal garlic too but black garlic seems to be one of the best things for your arteries so that’s the one I go for. I’m also on aspirin so am not sure I should be eating lots of garlic or ginger which I used to add to everything
That all sounds excellent. It feels good to be doing things to support our health rather than simply relying on medication.
It is quite complex though! My thinking around dietary measures is that taking in beneficial nutrients through diet is probably safer than large doses taken as supplements. That said, I was a bit concerned about my consumption of brassicas ( eaten because I like them not for any ‘super food’ purposes ) as I believe that high doses of vitamin k can interfere with blood thinners. I guess the thing is to not overdo intake of any one particular thing. We need to enjoy our food, as long as it is proper food and not ultra processed pretend food!
It’s great that you’ve embraced a WFPB diet. I’m sure you’re onto a winner there
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Scared
Diltiazem and calcification score
liver enzymes high
Tomorrow I get my Cardiac CT Results
