Very High Calcium Score

[ctviggen]

Bob
IMHO, if you are not eating carbs, then you need not worry about where your HDL or trigs are. They are where they are supposed to be. Trust your body if you are feeding it the right stuff. But if carbs are creeping in, maybe it’s a sign?
Cheers
Alec

Its unclear, unfortunately. I’ve changed drugs multiple times,for instance (have a left-bundle branch block, which causes lowered ejection fraction, and one cardiologist was all-in on drugs; the other – younger one – took me off the high-powered drug, but put me on Jardiance, which is also for diabetics, but does well with people like me with arrhythmia). Those could cause changes.

And I was taking NMRs, and I would always get high "insulin resistance’ based on that, due to HDL parts being pegged high. While my HDL values were getting lower, my “insulin resistance” oddly got better.

This was Oct 2023, where you can see my HDL are pegged to the right (and were like that for a long time even HDLs into the mid 50s), HDL of 46:

This was Oct 2024, HDL still 46, but the two HDLs are no longer pegged to the right:

I’m assuming that drugs are causing this, because my diet hasn’t really changed much. Maybe a few more carbs in chocolate and yogurt, but it’s odd that that’s making my “insulin resistance” go DOWN.

[ctviggen]

This is from March 2023, HDL of 51, but the HDl variants are pegged to the right and my insulin resistance per the LP-IR score is 65: So, my HDL is going down, I’m probably eating a few more carbs per day, and my “insulin resistance” is going DOWN. I don’t understand.

Edit: and if you look at individual lines other than the HDL, they are all over the place.

[Alecmcq]

and if you look at individual lines other than the HDL, they are all over the place

Alas, as you say, looks like the effects of the drugs. I assume you have no option to taking them?
Cheers
A

[FrankoBear]

Been doing a little research on the whole Calcium Score thing. It is well known that the test does not identify arterial blockages, it is supposedly predictive of the risk of same. Another aspect that I find interesting is that the test only costs about $50 because it is not usually covered by insurance. Other tests done with expensive medical equipment like the CT Scanner are extremely expensive.

I’m getting stuck on the terminology and wondering if people are talking about the same thing.

A “Calcium Score”, is that the same as a “Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score”? The CAC is a CT scan of the heart and a computer algorithm works out the ‘score’ from the amount of white pixels on the scan cuts. Maybe it’s cheaper in some places due to the automation and no need for the radiologist to work through the scans and form a medical opinion?

I think looking at the ectopic fat around the heart and the coronary blood vessels is maybe as important as a CAC. So look at the actual images with your doctor and identify internal body fat around the heart.

My Dr prescribed a CT angiogram (ie the more expensive one) that also sees soft plaque. It cost me around A$300, which is approx US$200. To me, not expensive to see what might or might not kill me!

I had the CT angiogram through my cardiologist because he wanted to put me on more drugs (in the meantime I sorted out the problem on a low carb lifestyle adjustment with better sleep and treating stress). My CAC has gone from zero to 1, and then to 21 over the past decade (work stress). No soft plaque on the CT angiogram. But I do have ectopic fat around my heart arteries to work at getting rid of.

[Alecmcq]

A “Calcium Score”, is that the same as a “Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score”? The CAC is a CT scan of the heart

FB
My understanding is that a calcium score is a reasonably generic term that can be used in different types of scans. There are 2 types of scans:

1. CAC: coronary artery calcium. Cheaper, but doesn’t measure soft plaque (the newer stuff that is more dangerous as it is more likely to break away and cause a blockage).
2. CT angiogram. More expensive, and does measure soft plaque.

Note: just my understanding from my experiences. As usual the medical industry is extremely opaque when it comes to explaining things clearly.