The REAL Reason Why Your Arteries are Calcifying - CAC Score

Dr. A discusses the coronary artery calcium score and how it relates to arterial calcification. Learn what these terms mean, how they impact your heart health, and why it's important to understand their significance for cardiovascular risk.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction
00:25 Arteriosclerosis vs. Atherosclerosis
01:23 What Is the CAC Score and Why It Matters
02:20 Are You at Risk? Interpreting Your CAC Score
04:09 The Limitations of CAC Scoring for Heart Health
05:36 Calcium in Arteries: Friend or Foe for Heart Health?
07:18 Why Lower Inflammation May Raise Your CAC
09:29 Understanding CAC Score Changes in Treatment

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[RJ-luci]

Thanks so much for the useful information. I am having my CAC test next month and feel much better about it now.

[gabymalembe]

My CAC score was 1188 13 years ago, when I was 68. I thought I was going to die any day. Now I’m 81, no “events” but I still think I’m going to die any day.

[flossypark]

I love these videos, informative, straight to the point, no waffle to stretch the videos out! ❤👏Happy 2025!

[ketofiveo]

thank you for this. my score was 5600 this year, 2024- 4100, 2019- 1500. keto to carnivore lost 80lbs asymptomatic at 55 yrs old retired cop

[kimbreeding]

Thank you Dr A. I have a 23 year old stent in my LAD and 2 years old it was 90 % blocked so cardiologist put a stent inside it. This is very informative and I appreciate your insight so much. In all those years I’ve never been told this before.👍👍

[littlemoo]

53 with above average cholesterol. Drs quick to say statin. Just got CAC test done and 0’s across the board. Making a bunch of lifestyle changes to move the cholesterol down. Your best bet is to understand your body, educate yourself and don’t rely on prescription drugs unless absolutely necessary.

[gerieveen]

Dr Peter Osbourne is the best YT doctor, he does not only talk but also shares links to research studies.

[marykrall]

Finally! An explanation that clears up why my score was 182 and went up. I went on a strict vegan diet (no animal products) and 5 years later my score was 580. But my mild angina was gone. I was put on a 5 mg statin when they scared me with the 580 result. I would prefer to do this dietarily.

[robwilliford]

Dr., Thanks for posting. 3 years ago (age 66) I had a CAC score of 48, was put on statins, quit smoking, and started swimming (indoors) 3 miles/week. I just had another CTA w/ CAC score of 380. Your video explains some of the increase. Unfortunately, although I realize it's outside the scope of your video, it requires one to do a great deal of online research to come up w/ a plan to augment statins to reduce one's risk (exercise; reducing sugar, carbohydrates, and trans fats; K2/MK7, D3, Omega 3, CoQ10).

[kerryf]

Sorry Doc, you didn't address the statistics of outcomes from using the CAC score to influence treatment with statins. Apparently in real terms death from heart attack is only marginally less if treated with statins (the reason the CAC score exists). If doctors using the CAC were recommending diet and lifestyle changes well then it might have good use but really it is a catch all for the drug industry as far as I can see. And an alarmist one at that. Once people are on the drugs, they will never know what the alternative outcome would have been.
Isn't that just a bit too convenient?

[deanjericevic]

Interesting, insightful & cogently explained! My CAC score was 177, so I'm not trying to cut back on my calcium intake (tinned red salmon with bones), rather I have cut my fruit juice intake & cut out bread (starch) intake & sugars more generally with are all inflammatory.

[brianwnc]

If you want to get your calcium score to go down, do regular fasting, high fiber high vegetable ketogenic diet, lean into higher protein diet, take nattokinase and serapapatase daily on an empty stomach, take vitamin k2 daily, take burberine daily. Do an hour of zone 2 through 4 cardio exercise every day. Drink green tea daily. Do sauna at high temperature multiple times a week. Sleep an extra hour every night to make up for past chronic sleep loss. Lower stress and meditate.
These are the ways to reverse heart disease and atherosclerosis. And of course, plenty of omega threes and mono unsaturated oils such as olive oil. Avoid eating high-fat and high carb on the same day. All of this is backed by science and many functional medicine doctors are utilizing these techniques in their clinics

[jackr]

I have a CCS of 1479 started taking high dose nattokinase 12, 000 units daily (6, 000 BID) also K2/D3.

[eddienomoney]

Great topic. The video covered my major concerns. Thanks.

[willbrink]

Soft plaque is more dangerous than calcified plaque if one has plaque, and a low CAC score does not indicate one is at a low risk of dying. Hence, CAC are really of little clinical value other than specific settings. As he says, it's late stage of the disease process. Obviously the goal is to prevent plaque of any kind, but as ASCVD takes decades to become problematic and CAC scores tell us little, those on various fad diets doing high fives and bragging of their low CAC score are ticking time bombs. Two essential markers of risk are apo-B and hsCRP. Keeping BP, blood sugar/A1C under control is key.

[danc]

I had a 209 score, further testing showed 90% blockage in the windows maker. Double bypass surgery needed and done. A friend of mine had a 230 score, further testing showed 20% blockage. So the numbers cant tell you how much danger you are in, but it does tell you that there is an issue.

[maranscandy]

What happens when the "medicine" leaves the arm muscle where they said it was going to stay, and is taken up by the endothelium and the cells lining the inside of the heart?

[MarkusAReallyUs]

You explained this very well! Understandable. Yhank you.

[twogsds]

Many years ago we started using a reverse osmosis machine, we even use the "freshly squeezed" water for cooking, after I recommended my mother use reverse osmosis water she experienced limescale leaving her body, she said it was like passing razor blades, it did stop after a while.

[rossentownsend]

Thank you for improving my understanding of this . Hopefully More can be said for people who need secondary prevention advice.
It seems this Is overshadowed by primary prevention.
Population studies are important but it's also important to help individuals understand how to reach their individual health care needs .