What is coronary artery calcification?
Coronary artery calcification is a collection of calcium in your heart’s two main arteries, also called your coronary arteries. This happens after you've had plaque (fat and cholesterol) forming in your arteries (atherosclerosis) for about five years.
Coronary artery calcification is an indicator of coronary artery disease and can give your healthcare provider information to help them assess your cardiovascular risk.
When plaque accumulates in your arteries, it makes it harder for blood to get through. Good blood flow is crucial in your coronary arteries because they supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. If blood can’t get through your coronary arteries, it can lead to chest pain and/or a heart attack.
Two types of coronary artery calcification
- Intimal (in the intimal or inner artery layer). This type is more common in coronary arteries.
- Medial (in the medial or middle artery layer).
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Coronary artery calcification vs. atherosclerosis
The amount of calcification you have is an indicator of how bad your atherosclerosis may be. Atherosclerosis is the result of plaque collecting in your arteries, making them narrow. This makes it difficult for blood to get through your arteries.
Who does coronary artery calcification affect?
People who have coronary heart disease usually have coronary artery calcification.
In people older than 70, more than 90% of men and 67% of women have coronary artery calcification. Before menopause, estrogen protects women from developing atherosclerosis. This is why women tend to develop atherosclerosis 10 to 15 years later than men.
People who are white are more likely than other races to have coronary artery calcification.
You’re more likely to get coronary artery calcification if you have:
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Glucose issues such as diabetes mellitus.
- Too much bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) and too little good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL).
- High BMI (body mass index).
- Family history of coronary artery calcification.
- High blood pressure.
- A history of cigarette smoking or using other tobacco products.
- Older age.
- Parathyroid hormone irregularities.
- High phosphate levels.
- High calcium level.
People who were assigned male at birth also have a higher risk for coronary artery calcification.
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How does coronary artery calcification affect my body?
Coronary artery calcification makes your arteries stiff and less able to expand and contract. This puts you at a higher risk for cardiovascular issues.
Coronary artery calcification causes less blood to get to your heart muscle.
Calcification makes it difficult for your healthcare provider to do percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or angioplasty. It makes it harder to expand a stent to keep your artery open.
