I had a high calcium score at age 45. I'm 46 now. Scared the crap outta me. Then I also had a VAP cholesterol test. This allowed me to know where to dial in my diet and training. It's a DNA thing for me. Always had high cholesterol even though active, etc. One year later I have changed my VAP test scores drastically for the better. While the calcification remains, it is the lipid profiles which you can really target to prevent further calcification once you know your VAP scores. Don't know what others would say, but the combination of both the calcification score combined with the VAP was a great tool for me. So maybe get a VAP and talk with the doc to see what you can change to keep your numbers dialed in the best you can. It'll ease your mind a bit and you'll know you are tuned up the best you can. I now do a VAP and stress test once a year and follow up with my doc.

What statin are you on? There's a ton of different ones out there. I was feeling a little wonky with Lipitor and Crestor. Strong stuff. I changed to Livalo and it's been great. No issues.

Give Livalo a try and ask if you can get a VAP cholesterol test rather than a standard cholesterol test.

Consider yourself lucky, you caught the atherosclerosis early and can now target it. It's usually the people in their 40s that have no idea and get hit out of nowhere. It's a silent killer. You are now way ahead of the game and can make lifestyle, diet, and med changes for the better.


I'd recommend males in their 40s get the VAP as a standard physical. It's packed with good info.


Here are some useful links:


Calcium test: http://www.cureality.com/library/what%20does%20my%20heart%20scan%20show%20v042805.pdf


VAP test: http://www.medfusion.net/...s/7241/12677/VAP.pdf


Good luck!

Good info thanks, my cardio doc did lab work with Boston Heart Diagnostics, which was very detailed it has all the breakdown of the particles etc.

I started with Lipitor but made me feel weird, so they switch me to Simvistatin and Zetia, the blood work showed that i am an over absorption so the zetia helps with absorption.

I thought i ate heathly and since i trained so much never had any weight issues etc, but now working with sports dietician that also knows cardiovascular, doing more of a plant based diet to see how it goes.

One other area i am working on as well is Stress, started incorporating yoga and meditation.

This the bloodwork i had done

http://www.bostonheartdiagnostics.com/...s_assessing_risk.php

I'm 64 and had a work up with a cardiologist in spring. EKG, stress echo, Ca score, VAP/cardiac specific/routine labs, and a CT angiography.

Labs good except my BS was 103/A1C 5.5.
EKG/stress echo good
CT, 20% stenosis left anterior descending. Which was present going back to 2008, no change so that's a good thing. He did find an small area of "soft" Plaque which concerned him because it has the potential to dislodge.
Ca score 481, not good/bad!

His recommendation ASA 81mg, fish oil since I don't eat fish. No statins yet because my lads were ok but it's on the table.
The big one was to stop my long course, marathon racing/training. He didn't even want me training/racing a half marathon/Olympic tris....we're going to discuss this at my next appointment in Dec. He wants me keeping my HR in zone 2/3 when exercising.

He admits his approach is a somewhat controversial and I could go to another doc and most likely get no restrictions.

I'm still working on first cup of coffee so my brain cells aren't firing quite yet:).

Here's a thread along this subject line.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...=ca%20score#p5502783



Sent from my iPad

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Train safe & smart
Bob

Update, got my labs back yesterday after 8 weeks on Simvastatin 5mg & Zetia 10mg,
total cholesterol 165
Hdl 70
Ldl 81
Ratio 2.4
Hs crp 1.1
particle number is optimal, but ldl small and hdl large are still high.

From lab work it appears i am an over absorber, so when i explain to the doctor how i was feeling (heavy legs etc) they removed the Statin but left me on the Zetia.

Still feel a bit tired, guess ihave to wait a bit for the statin to flush out of my system

What's the theory behind a lower heart rate while training?

Been feeling all weird since I started the meds...I sure don't feel right

Tell me about it. I also have mildly elevated cholesterol. I've tried five different rounds of statins over the years and each time I have terrible reactions to them. Interestingly, with each new round of statins, the side effects return more quickly. The first time on them I was ok for a couple months before the debilitating side effects started. The last time they started in less than a week. I'll never go on them again.

Training at a lower heart rate increases the heart's stroke volume thus improves it's efficiency. Higher heart rates are not as efficient, although more blood is being pumped. Higher rates are still needed during training for adaptations and this can be achieved via intervals, or just riding with fast groups since the ride dynamics often include interval type efforts.

But what is the inherent risk of training at higher heart rates?

I don't think there is any to speak of, other than a more efficient heart is a preferred biological protocol for almost any endurance activity. It improves aerobic performance. Subsequent rides at the same effort will start showing a lower average HR because the heart is becoming more efficient. Or to put it another way, you have gone up a level while keeping your HR the same.

Higher heart rates improve anaerobic performance and adaptations. You need this also, but on an endurance ride you might conk out early if you previously only concentrated on high heart rate (anaerobic) training. You need both aerobic and anaerobic training. But you especially need an efficient heart.

Maybe the good effects of taking a statin has been overstated by those selling them?


https://www.sciencedaily.com/.../02/150220110850.htm

Well, I'm 53, and I've been on statins and low dose aspirin for over 20 years.

When I was 32, I went to my primary care doc with what I thought was a chest cold. I was not into endurance sports at the time, but I did play goaltender in an ice hockey mens league 1 or 2 times a week. I had been experiecing heaviness in my chest during games, and found myself winded at times that I felt I shouldn't be.

I had a great doc, and he paid attention enough to my symptoms to do an EKG, which led him to send me across the street to the hospital for observation.

To make a long story short, an angiogram showed a 95 percent blockage in my right coronary artery. Later that day I had an angioplasty with a stent. This was back in 1996, so no coated stent.

The cardiologist who was assigned to me told me I could never exercise in cold weather again so no more hockey, no weight lifting, never go anywhere without nitro, etc. That freaked me out more than the blockage.

My issue was low HDL cholesterol with high LDL. My HDL was only 28 with a total of 170, so my total to HDL ratio was around 6. Not good.

I got many opinions from different doctors, and got a new cardiologist who had a philosophy of building to no restrictions. Within 6 months I totally changed my diet, got on Lipitor and aspirin, and my ratio dropped to around 2. I was back playing hockey and skiing a few months after that. No restrictions. The biggest challenge was dealing with the mental aspect, but that got better over time. Actually it took years to not think about it when I exerted myself.

I started doing triathlons in 2009, mostly sprints and some Olys. I just did my first Half Iron at B2B this past October.

A year ago I had symtoms that felt like they could be cardiac related, so my cardiologist recommended an angiogram. No issues. The stent looked great. It was great to know after 20 years that everything was good. The problem ended up being digestive, but better safe than sorry.

My experience is of course unique, and I recommend that everyone does what is right for them. I am lucky that statins work for me.

Hope my experience helps..

What's the theory behind a lower heart rate while training?
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To be honest I'm not sure. I'll ask at my next appointment.

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Train safe & smart
Bob

The risk of having a cardiac event during exercise is intensity dependent, i.e. the higher the intensity the more likely something will go wrong. I would guess that's why the cardiologist wants you to keep your HR down.

The risk of having a cardiac event during exercise is intensity dependent, i.e. the higher the intensity the more likely something will go wrong. I would guess that's why the cardiologist wants you to keep your HR.
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That's what he said but I was going to ask more along the exact reason, arrhythmias etc.

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Train safe & smart
Bob

The harder you are exercising the greater the oxygen demand by the heart tissue. If you have narrowed arteries the heart may not be able to get the oxygen it needs. Basically the greater the exercise intensity the more likely ischemia is to occur and ischemia in the ventricles can provoke the types of arrhythmias that cause people to drop dead.

The incidence of side effects are also under reported. I once read the incidence to be less than 3%.



http://www.nmcd-journal.com/...(12)00122-6/abstract

If it were me I'd ask to switch drug, take minimum dose to achieve results. While muscle pain wouldn't be fun, I'd be more concerned about the more serious side effects. I don't know their rates or even if they are known.

Interesting we been talking about this topic, just this week, the climber Conrad Anker, who is 54 and must be in amazing shape reported that he suffered a heart attack while on an expedition in the Himalayas, had a major block and was lucky to make it to a hospital and they were able to place a stent. According to the report he never had any symptoms prior.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/...tack-climbing-nepal/

Yeah, like taking statins being in great shape is no guarantee you won't get heart disease, it only lowers the probability.