Coronary Calcium Score: What It Tells You About Heart Disease Risk

When doctors talk about coronary calcium score, a number from a non-contrast CT scan that measures calcium buildup in the heart’s arteries. Also known as a CAC score, it’s one of the most direct ways to see if you have silent heart disease—even if you feel fine. Unlike cholesterol tests or blood pressure readings, this score shows actual plaque, not just risk factors. It doesn’t guess. It counts.

High calcium doesn’t mean you’re having a heart attack tomorrow. But it does mean your arteries are clogged with years of damage. A score of zero? That’s great news—you’re in the lowest risk group. A score over 100? That’s a red flag. Over 400? You’re in the danger zone, and your doctor should be talking about statins, aspirin, or lifestyle changes—fast. This isn’t theory. A 2020 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology tracked 12,000 people and found those with scores above 300 had nearly 10 times the risk of a heart event over the next decade compared to those with zero.

It’s not for everyone. If you’re young, healthy, and have no family history, you probably don’t need it. But if you’re over 40, have high blood pressure, smoke, or carry extra weight, this test cuts through the noise. It tells you if your LDL is really the problem—or if your arteries are already paying the price. And it’s not just for men. Women, especially after menopause, often get overlooked in heart risk assessments. A coronary calcium score can be the wake-up call they never got.

Related entities like calcification, the process where calcium deposits harden in artery walls and CT scan, a quick, low-radiation imaging test that captures these deposits are part of the same story. You can’t have a calcium score without a CT scan. And calcification is the physical result of years of inflammation, poor diet, or untreated high cholesterol. It’s not magic. It’s biology.

What you’ll find below are real, practical guides that connect to this score. How to interpret your result. What to do if your score jumps. How medications like statins affect it. Why some people with perfect cholesterol still have high scores. And how lifestyle changes can slow—or even reverse—the buildup. This isn’t about fear. It’s about knowing where you stand, so you can act before it’s too late.