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Old Fri, Jan-17-20, 04:55
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JEY100 JEY100 is offline
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Plan: P:E/DDF
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Dr Malcolm Kendrick has written an article on the CAC test that lays out the case for never doing a CAC scan! Fascinating references and conclusions, pretty much opposite of everything in this three year old thread.

As with his series on what causes heart disease, the entire post is very long, laying out all sides of the arguments. Two quotes below, much more here:

https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/2020/...cification-cac/


Things that increase calcification...

Quote:
An interesting mix, I think.

Statins increase calcification
Warfarin increases calcification
Intense exercise increases calcification
Yet, all three reduce the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease. Yes, even statins – a bit.

But, let’s turn this around for a second. If you have no calcification in your arteries, you have a greatly reduced risk of dying of cardiovascular disease. Which means that calcification can be both good, and bad? Yes, you are right, this area is not straightforward at all.

Even if you look at non-calcified atherosclerosis, or pre-calcified atherosclerosis, the picture is complex.


Quote:
Recommendations

My first recommendation is that, if you have not had a CAC scan, do not have one.

My second recommendation is that, if you have had a CAC scan, and it shows no calcification, good. Do not have another one.

If, however, you have had a CAC scan and it shows significant calcification. What then? What then indeed? You may want to read this paper: ‘Non-invasive vulnerable plaque imaging: how do we know that treatment works?’

‘Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disorder that can evolve into an acute clinical event by plaque development, rupture, and thrombosis. Plaque vulnerability represents the susceptibility of a plaque to rupture and to result in an acute cardiovascular event. Nevertheless, plaque vulnerability is not an established medical diagnosis, but rather an evolving concept that has gained attention to improve risk prediction. The availability of high-resolution imaging modalities has significantly facilitated the possibility of performing in vivo regression studies and documenting serial changes in plaque stability. This review summarizes the currently available non-invasive methods to identify vulnerable plaques and to evaluate the effects of the current cardiovascular treatments on plaque evolution.’ 8

It will, at least, give you some idea of the other forms of investigation that are available.

Or, you might want to read this one: ‘New methods to image unstable atherosclerotic plaques.’

‘Atherosclerotic plaque rupture is the primary mechanism responsible for myocardial infarction and stroke, the top two killers worldwide. Despite being potentially fatal, the ubiquitous prevalence of atherosclerosis amongst the middle aged and elderly renders individual events relatively rare. This makes the accurate prediction of MI and stroke challenging. Advances in imaging techniques now allow detailed assessments of plaque morphology and disease activity.

Both CT and MR can identify certain unstable plaque characteristics thought to be associated with an increased risk of rupture and events. PET imaging allows the activity of distinct pathological processes associated with atherosclerosis to be measured, differentiating patients with inactive and active disease states. Hybrid integration of PET with CT or MR now allows for an accurate assessment of not only plaque burden and morphology but plaque biology too.

In this review, we discuss how these advanced imaging techniques hold promise in redefining our understanding of stable and unstable coronary artery disease beyond symptomatic status, and how they may refine patient risk-prediction and the rationing of expensive novel therapies.’ 9

The key words in that abstract are ‘hold promise.’

My final recommendation is that we should NOT be doing CAC scans, until it can be proved in a well conducted clinical trial, that we can do something positive and beneficial about the findings.

Yes, a ‘negative’ CAC is reassuring. This, however, must be set aside against the psychological damage caused by a ‘positive’ CAC scan. At present we are playing a form of psychological Russian Roulette. Half the population walks away reassured, half the population reels away, scared witless.

Also, often puzzled and disappointed. I have lost count of the number of people who have written to me saying that they: don’t smoke, exercise regularly, are not overweight, have low cholesterol levels, do not have high blood pressure, do not have high blood sugar levels, etc. etc. yet they have a terrifyingly high CAC score. What should they do?

Well, what can they do?

I don’t know. Because I don’t know what the test means. Not for sure. Not enough to provide any advice that I can be certain is right. Some boxes are better left unopened, however tempting it may be to peek inside.

Just because you can do something does not mean that you should.
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