Do You Know Your Score? (You Should)

It's interesting that many people know the scores of famous teams and athletes, while they put themselves under stress with their golf scores.

You may know your cholesterol level and other conventional parameters of low significance, but do you know one of the most important scores to predict how long you will live?

I am talking about your Coronary Calcium Score.

The coronary calcium score is evaluated via a coronary calcium scan.

Coronary calcium scans use a special X-ray test called computed tomography (CT) to check for the buildup of calcium in plaque on the walls of the arteries of the heart (coronary arteries).

Calcifications in the coronary arteries are an early sign of coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up in the coronary arteries.

Over time, plaque can harden or rupture (break open). Hardened plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. This can cause chest pain or discomfort called angina.

If the plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form on its surface. A large blood clot can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. This is the most common cause of a heart attack. Over time, ruptured plaque also hardens and narrows the coronary arteries.

The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart. Normally, the coronary arteries do not contain calcium. Calcium in the coronary arteries is a sign of coronary artery disease (CAD).


In a nutshell, if your score is 10 or under, you have less than 3% chance of a heart attack in the next year, but 30% over the next ten years (assuming it stayed the same).

If your score is 101-400, your chances go to 12% each year, or 120% in the next ten years.

If your score is over 400, you have a 50% chance of a heart attack within the next year. -- If your score is over 400, you have a 50% chance of a heart attack within the next year, and you need to get very serious about your plans for reversing it, NOW.

But I have seen folks who had no symptoms and were over 1000 with 4 vessels badly calcified in many areas.

So there are always exceptions, and this shows once more that there is no solo determining factor of having a heart attack. As with every disease there are multiple factors.

Functional medicine embraces the totality of the regulatory functions of the body. It encompasses all of the biophysical, biochemical, enzymatic, endocrine, immunological, and bioenergetic regulatory capacities.

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S.

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