Mild atherosclerotic calcifications of the normalcalibre abdominal aorta.

[Chipper Jones78]

Hey gents,

Looking for some guidance and advice here please.

The other day I had some severe stomach pains, no vomiting, slight fever, I didn't think twice, I just drove myself to the emergency.

Doc's preformed a CT scan on my abdominal area to make sure it wasn't pancreatitis or kidney related.

I got the A OK from the docs other then a very high enzyme in my pancreas which indicates I drank too much and/or I drink to much.
t
The docs were not concerned about the results, (again these are emerge docs) however, because I'm a health nut, like most of you, the two things that stood out to me are
moderate hepatic steatosis and mild atherosclerotic calcifications of the normal calibre abdominal aorta, the latter much more concerning.

When the test was performed, last week, I'm on 500mg test E and 400mg Mast E (3 weeks in)

No prior issues.

The mild fatty liver I'll chalk it up to my drinking, which is only whisky and or vodka straight. I can fix this. I can attest it's not diet related.

I get an complete blood work every 6 months and get a echo every year to make sure I'm on point.

My liver values via blood work are all in range.

I'll post my recent blood work and my echo results right now as well while I was on the above dose.

I have an appointment with my primary care physician in two weeks because I'm anal, but this is what I'm worried about, atherosclerotic calcification abdominal aorta.

Any guidance or suggestions on specific test I should ask my doctor?

Cheers,
Chip

 

[Chipper Jones78]

Here are my echo results last week.

 

[Reno911]

I cannot read the technical parts as some others can but I would recommend getting a CT Angiogram to pick up any hard and also soft plaque in the coronaries. I think when you have other calcifications in areas such as femoral or carotids you will also have it in the coronaries. This is just my personal experience from other older family member and friends.

The CT Angiogram is easy. It's an open ended large donut. They will shoot dye into you that makes you feel like you're going to piss yourself (but you don't). They slide you in, image, and boom you're done. It's a large open one not like a MRI.

You could also do a coronary calcium scan but that will not pick up the soft plaque. There's about a 10 year lag before the soft plaque calcifies.

 

[Chipper Jones78]

My complete blood work last week while on.

Sorry for the multiple attachments here.

No idea why my triglycerides are that high, that's something I can fix as well, real quick. That's something I have control over.

 

[Chipper Jones78]

 

[Othello]

age?


family history of atherosclerosis/heart disease?

 

[Chipper Jones78]

I cannot read the technical parts as some others can but I would recommend getting a CT Angiogram to pick up any hard and also soft plaque in the coronaries. I think when you have other calcifications in areas such as femoral or carotids you will also have it in the coronaries. This is just my personal experience from other older family member and friends.

The CT Angiogram is easy. It's an open ended large donut. They will shoot dye into you that makes you feel like you're going to piss yourself (but you don't). They slide you in, image, and boom you're done. It's a large open one not like a MRI.

You could also do a coronary calcium scan but that will not pick up the soft plaque. There's about a 10 year lag before the soft plaque calcifies.

Many thanks Reno...in my short readings, a CT Angiogram seems like the next logical step. Appreciate the reply.

 

[Chipper Jones78]

age?


family history of atherosclerosis/heart disease?

Noted.

42.

Family history - one grandfather passed with heart issues, other grandad dementia/Type 2 D, grandmother passed with blood clot, mom type 2 D

I've never had sugar issues even though it runs in the family.

Nothing else out of the ordinary.

 

[danieltx]

Are you managing your blood pressure given they noted the indication of hypertension?

 

[Chipper Jones78]

Are you managing your blood pressure given they noted the indication of hypertension?

Thanks for the reply Daniel.

That is actually somewhat false. When I was having high blood pressure in 2019, that's when I decided to get looked at via ehco, they simply added that remark as a indication.

BP is decent, not great at the moment, but not high enough to worry about meds, I don't take anything for it, food is the only thing.

I'm med free of all things.

On a good day, I'm 130/70, on a bad day 140/80

 

[Chipper Jones78]

I'm at a point where I may dive into Carditone.

Every test enclosed is near ideal for my age.

Even though it's mild, I'm pissed of the findings, this is how it starts.

Like Reno said, I'm thinking a CT Angiogram is the best course of action.

 

[thethinker48]

The pathology of atherosclerosis is pretty much the same regardless of it's location

Lipid dysfunction + Endothelial dysfunction + Inflammation

You have to modulate all these factors to slow down the progression (most people will have a certain percentage present ex. x% occlusion of CAs at x age bracket). The biggest factor of atherosclerosis is age, these processes start happening as early as 10 years old.

I would do a NMR profile to see what your lipid functionality is like; things like ApoB to measure CVD risk. Fix your BP with CARDIO as much as you can, it will help both with BP and with your endothelial/vessel health, not to mention helping your lipids. Test your fasting insulin as well since that's a contributor towards metabolic health.

Your liver can also be suspect of NAFLD depending on your diet, so I would factor that in with the alcohol

I'm not a physician or an expert on lipids, but something like mild calcification of your abdominal aorta might be something that's present commonly in the population, it's just not ever diagnosed normally. I would be more wary of it though due to PED use, and the risks that are ampified as a result of that.

One thing to note is that people who suffer things like peripheral artery disease, or calcification in their carotid arteries are also the same people who are at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes (usually but not always). It's the same mechanism. So I would use this information as a way to formulate future strategies for health.

 

[danieltx]

Thanks for the reply Daniel.

That is actually somewhat false. When I was having high blood pressure in 2019, that's when I decided to get looked at via ehco, they simply added that remark as a indication.

BP is decent, not great at the moment, but not high enough to worry about meds, I don't take anything for it, food is the only thing.

I'm med free of all things.

On a good day, I'm 130/70, on a bad day 140/80

With those numbers I'd still encourage you to get it down more. Justin Harris, the bodybuilder and coach we all like, was an echocardiographer for years and believe elevated blood pressure is the top issue that leads to all other problems with bodybuilders - heart, vascular, kidneys, etc. - so if you're concerned about the heart you should definitely take action.

Blood pressure talk at 38:05.

 

[Chipper Jones78]

The pathology of atherosclerosis is pretty much the same regardless of it's location

Lipid dysfunction + Endothelial dysfunction + Inflammation

You have to modulate all these factors to slow down the progression (most people will have a certain percentage present ex. x% occlusion of CAs at x age bracket). The biggest factor of atherosclerosis is age, these processes start happening as early as 10 years old.

I would do a NMR profile to see what your lipid functionality is like; things like ApoB to measure CVD risk. Fix your BP with CARDIO as much as you can, it will help both with BP and with your endothelial/vessel health, not to mention helping your lipids. Test your fasting insulin as well since that's a contributor towards metabolic health.

Your liver can also be suspect of NAFLD depending on your diet, so I would factor that in with the alcohol

I'm not a physician or an expert on lipids, but something like mild calcification of your abdominal aorta might be something that's present commonly in the population, it's just not ever diagnosed normally. I would be more wary of it though due to PED use, and the risks that are ampified as a result of that.

One thing to note is that people who suffer things like peripheral artery disease, or calcification in their carotid arteries are also the same people who are at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes (usually but not always). It's the same mechanism. So I would use this information as a way to formulate future strategies for health.

Read and understood thinker.

Advice taken and read (great advice btw, thanks brother)

Thank you kindly for the reply.

I realize that blood work alone is not always enough, where as the right type of blood work looking at specific things is ideal.

It just upsets me looking at my echo resutls, which is near perfect along with my CPR (inflammation) results, on paper, it looks like a home run, I decided to play in this PED game, shit happens right, so figure this shit out I suppose.

Cheers

 

[Chipper Jones78]

With those numbers I'd still encourage you to get it down more. Justin Harris, the bodybuilder and coach we all like, was an echocardiographer for years and believe elevated blood pressure is the top issue that leads to all other problems with bodybuilders - heart, vascular, kidneys, etc. - so if you're concerned about the heart you should definitely take action.

Blood pressure talk at 38:05.

Thank you kindly Daniel.

I appreciate your efforts here, advice taken and understood.

Just fffffing pissed that on paper, all the findings look grand on paper, literally, but that a CT scan show these findings because I had a stomach ache.

Goes to show, blood work is a baseline, yes, but does not hold proof of all possible findings/indications.

 

[Black Beard]

Blood pressure > Lab work. Lab work is vastly overrated in catching the damage from AAS.


Hypertension is the killer. Atherosclerosis(calcification) /narrowing+stiffening of the arteries and heart structure changes are INVISIBLE unless you get imaging done. Too many guys are confident in their health status due to good blood work.


What is your average resting BP and heart rate?

 

[Gambel]

Did you ever get a CT to have a coronary calcium score determined?