What causes high calcium score
Searched over 200M research papers
Summary
4 papers analyzed
These studies suggest that high calcium scores are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and may be linked to higher cancer incidence, though the exact cause is unclear.
Not a yes or no question
To use the Consensus Meter, try asking a simple yes or no question
Research summarized with Copilot
Beta20 papers analyzed
Causes of High Calcium Score
Coronary Artery Calcium Score and Atherosclerosis
A high coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is primarily indicative of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. This score is obtained through computed tomographic coronary angiography and is used to estimate the extent of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. The presence of coronary calcification correlates with the total plaque burden, which is a significant marker for coronary heart disease (CHD) risks.
Risk Factors for High Calcium Score
Several factors have been identified as contributing to a high CAC score. These include older age, male gender, white race, diabetes, lipid profile abnormalities, and smoking. These factors are associated with the development and progression of atherosclerosis, which in turn leads to higher calcium scores.
Extreme High Calcium Scores
In some cases, calcium scores can exceed 1000, indicating an extremely high level of coronary calcification. Patients with such high scores often exhibit additional risk factors such as elevated systolic blood pressure and higher levels of uric acid. Moreover, there is a significant association between extremely high calcium scores and an increased incidence of cancer. This suggests that systemic inflammation and other underlying conditions may contribute to both high calcium scores and cancer risk.
Diabetes and Calcium Scores
In individuals with type 2 diabetes, a high CAC score is a strong predictor of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. Studies have shown that a CAC score of 10 or higher significantly increases the risk of these outcomes. This highlights the importance of monitoring and managing cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients to prevent severe complications.
Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Calcium Scores
Recent research has also indicated that high epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume is associated with increased coronary calcification and cardiovascular events. When combined with the CAC score, EAT volume improves the predictive ability for cardiovascular events in asymptomatic individuals. This suggests that EAT volume could be an additional marker to identify high-risk patients at a subclinical stage, potentially allowing for earlier intervention and prevention of atherosclerosis progression.
Conclusion
High calcium scores are primarily caused by factors that contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis, such as age, gender, race, diabetes, lipid abnormalities, and smoking. Extremely high scores are also associated with elevated blood pressure, uric acid levels, and a higher incidence of cancer. In diabetic patients, high calcium scores are strong predictors of mortality and cardiovascular events. Additionally, epicardial adipose tissue volume can enhance the predictive power of calcium scores for cardiovascular events, suggesting a multifactorial approach to risk assessment and management.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
