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What Does My Heart Calcium Test Result Indicate?

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Posted on Mon, 27 Oct 2014
Question: I have a score of 285 from a recent heart calcium test. What does the score represent? Where does 285 fall on a scale of what(min.) to what(max.)?

Does the score indicate a serious condition? What is a recommended protocol?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Moderate evidence of coronary heart disease

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
Coronary artery calcium score represents the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries and this is said to reflect the risk of heart disease. The lowest score achievable is zero and the highest is above 400.

The classification of calcium score is as follows

Calcium Score      Presence of CAD

0      No evidence of CAD
1-10      Minimal evidence of CAD
11-100      Mild evidence of CAD
101-400      Moderate evidence of CAD
Over 400      Extensive evidence of CAD

At 285, your score is suggesting that a moderate amount of calcium plaque is present. You have heart disease, and plaque may be blocking an artery. Your chance of having a heart attack is moderate to high. there is above-average risk of a cardiac event in the following five years

You must get evaluated by your cardiologist and get blood investigations and echocardiography done. This will decide should medicines that you should be taking to protect your heart from progressive disease conditions. It is not serious but surely an alarm to take care of your health and follow advise as suggested by your cardiologist

Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Vivek Chail

Radiologist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 6874 Questions

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What Does My Heart Calcium Test Result Indicate?

Brief Answer: Moderate evidence of coronary heart disease Detailed Answer: Hi XXXX, Thanks for writing in to us. I have read through your query in detail. Coronary artery calcium score represents the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries and this is said to reflect the risk of heart disease. The lowest score achievable is zero and the highest is above 400. The classification of calcium score is as follows Calcium Score Presence of CAD 0 No evidence of CAD 1-10 Minimal evidence of CAD 11-100 Mild evidence of CAD 101-400 Moderate evidence of CAD Over 400 Extensive evidence of CAD At 285, your score is suggesting that a moderate amount of calcium plaque is present. You have heart disease, and plaque may be blocking an artery. Your chance of having a heart attack is moderate to high. there is above-average risk of a cardiac event in the following five years You must get evaluated by your cardiologist and get blood investigations and echocardiography done. This will decide should medicines that you should be taking to protect your heart from progressive disease conditions. It is not serious but surely an alarm to take care of your health and follow advise as suggested by your cardiologist Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements. Hope your query is answered. Do write back if you have any doubts. Regards, Dr.Vivek