Your blood pressure and cholesterol levels aren’t the only numbers that can help you predict your heart health. There’s another way you could keep an eye on your risk of cardiovascular diseases: a calcium score. 

A coronary artery calcium score, better known as a calcium score, can help you understand your heart health and whether you’re at risk of cardiovascular diseases. But how does it work? And why should you even get one?

Let’s find out. 

What Is a Calcium Score?

A calcium score measures the amount of calcified plaque present in your arteries. This is quite significant as coronary plaque is the primary cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and events related to heart attacks or strokes.

Your calcium score is proportional to your risk of having a heart-related disease for up to 15 years. If you have no coronary artery calcium, then you have a low risk of ASCVD events, even if you have diabetes or are overweight. 

However, if you have a high calcium score, you may have a greater risk of ASCVD, even if you don’t have a history of heart disease.

Why Are They Important? 

Plaque buildup in the arteries can have serious consequences for heart health. As plaque accumulates, it can restrict blood flow, depriving specific heart areas of oxygen. Plus, it poses a risk of blood clot formation, which can potentially lead to heart attacks in the future. 

However, it’s difficult to detect plaque deposits without using specialized tests. Moreover, even if you’re living a healthy life, it’s possible you may have a buildup of plaque in your arteries. A calcium score may be the only way to find this out. 

So, getting your calcium score is essential to predicting any future possibilities of stroke, heart attack, or other cardiovascular disease.

One of the best options for calcium testing is the Cleerly test, which measures atherosclerosis or plaque buildup in your heart’s arteries. Since it uses artificial intelligence, it is faster, more efficient, and more accurate. 

If you are between the ages of 40 and 70, a calcium score can be especially beneficial in determining your risks for heart disease. This test is also recommended if you’re at risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or obesity.

What Do Calcium Scores Indicate? 

How do you interpret a calcium score? Let’s take a look at each score level below:

• Score: 0

If you have a score of zero, it means you do not have any calcified plaque. It also indicates your risk of ASCVD-related events is very low. 

• Score: 1-10

This score reflects that you have a negligible level of plaque in your arteries and that your overall risk of heart attack is considerably low. 

However, you should take a look at your diet to understand why this score has risen so high and remove anything that contains very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which contribute to atherosclerosis. 

• Score: 11-100

If you have a score around 11 to 100, it’s possible you may have some coronary plaque and a moderate chance of heart attack. 

To make sure the score doesn’t rise, you should consult your doctor. They’ll recommend treatments and suggest changes to your lifestyle. 

• Score: 101-400

This score is alarming as your chance of having a heart attack ranges from moderate to high. You should consult your doctor at this point. They’ll recommend you consider healthy lifestyle changes. 

Plus, you would also want to start treatment with a statin to decrease your cholesterol levels. 

• Score: Above 400

A score of 400 or above means that you have a massive amount of plaque, and the chance of ASCVD-related events is drastically high. Again, your doctor would recommend lifestyle changes and suggest ways to reduce your cholesterol levels.

Who Should Not Undergo a Calcium Test?

If you’re getting a test done just because you should, don’t jump in head first because you might experience complications. To avoid these, let’s look at people who aren’t good candidates for calcium tests: 

• People below the age of 40 should not consider this test because it’s rare for calcium to accumulate in their coronary arteries. 
• People who already had a stroke, heart attack, or any other cardiovascular event are already at high risk. So they may not need a calcium test. 
• Pregnant women should stay away from this test to avoid radiation complications. 

Also, if you’ve already got a calcium test, you don’t need to undergo another for three to five years.

Can a Plant-based Diet Help You Lower Your Calcium Score? 

Many people believe vegetarian diets help you avoid saturated fats and simple carbs, which can reduce insulin sensitivity and improve blood lipid levels. This ultimately decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and even reduces the risk of diabetes.

Several studies back this claim, with one showing that vegetarians experienced a 24% decrease in coronary disease and a 22% lower rate of stroke mortality. 

Another study focusing on 22 people consuming a low-fat plant-based diet concluded that four participants had successfully “reversed” their disease in their arteries when they followed a vegetarian diet. 

In a similar study in 2014, a larger group of 198 patients was studied. The research found that 177 patients who rigorously followed the diet had a considerable reduction in symptoms of heart disease, and 22% reversed the disease.

The Bottom Line

A calcium score measures calcified plaque in your arteries, giving insights into the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. A high score indicates increased risk, while a lower score suggests the opposite. 

If you have a family history of heart or cardiovascular diseases, a calcium score can help you keep track of your heart health, predict heart risks, and take early preventative measures like eating a plant-based diet or taking statins before risks turn into problems. 

However, before getting a calcium test, talk to your doctor. They’ll help you understand whether the test is right for you and recommend treatment plans and lifestyle changes in case you get a score that’s higher than 100.