The aorta is the main artery that supplies blood flow to the heart and muscle. When you have a heart attack, this artery becomes obstructed and starves off oxygen and blood flow to the heart muscle. This cramps the muscle, and you get a heart attack and die.
Since heart attacks are a major problem, it would be beneficial to learn more about them. This way, you can determine if you’re likely to have one.
If we reverse engineer a heart attack, we take one step back. We’re going to get a cramp. Why? Because the artery is not free flowing. There’s something obstructing it. There could be plaquing or a clot composed of cholesterol, calcium, and a certain type of protein called fibrin.
Many people are hyper focused on reducing cholesterol because they believe it is causing heart disease. However, doctors often put patients on statin drugs which shuts down the body’s ability to produce cholesterol. This can lead to other problems.
The true cause is the inflammation, which is due to damage to the lining of the vessel. This damage is brought on by high levels of insulin.
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What is a Coronary Artery Calcium Test (CAC)?
The CAC test is a direct measurement of the amount of damage in the coronary artery. It tells you about a person’s past lifestyle, including their diet and activities.
A high CAC score means that there is a lot of calcium in the arteries, which is a predictor of heart attacks. Even if a person has normal cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and blood sugar, they can still have a high CAC score. 50% of the time, a person with a high CAC score will die of a heart attack without any symptoms.
CAC tests are not as common as they should be because some doctors do not believe they are necessary. However, CAC tests are quick, inexpensive, and could save lives.
What Does My Coronary Artery Calcium Score Mean?
If you have a score of a thousand that means you have a ten times greater risk of having a heart attack than someone with a score of zero.
If your score is in the range of 1-80, you should be concerned. If your score is between 81 and 400, it’s a pretty serious situation and you should start changing your lifestyle. If your score is greater than 400, you better make sure you have your will completely written out, and you better start studying how to lower this really fast.
