Here’s a sobering fact: heart disease remains the #1 killer in the United States. What’s even more alarming? Many people who have a heart attack had “normal” cholesterol levels. Their standard blood work looked fine. They felt healthy. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, they experienced a cardiac event.
This is exactly why we’re passionate about cardiovascular prevention at The Fatigue Clinic. Located in Collierville and serving Germantown, Memphis, Arlington, and surrounding areas, we believe in catching problems before they become emergencies. And one of the most powerful tools in our preventive arsenal is the cardiac calcium score test.
If you’ve never heard of it, keep reading. This simple, painless scan could literally save your life.
A cardiac calcium score (also called a coronary artery calcium scan or CAC) is a specialized CT scan that measures the amount of calcified plaque in the arteries of your heart. The test takes less than 20 minutes, requires no needles, no contrast dye, and no preparation on your part.
Here’s how it works: Small sticky patches are placed on your chest to monitor your heart rhythm. You lie still on a table while the CT scanner takes detailed images of your coronary arteries. That’s it. You’re done. You can return to your normal activities immediately.
The results? You’ll receive them within 1-2 business days.
You might be wondering: why calcium? Isn’t calcium supposed to be good for you?
Calcium is essential for your bones and teeth. But when calcium shows up in your coronary arteries, it’s a sign of atherosclerosis: the buildup of plaque that narrows blood vessels and restricts blood flow to your heart. Over time, this buildup can lead to chest pain (angina) or, worse, a heart attack.
The key insight: Calcium deposits serve as a marker. If there’s calcium in your arteries, there’s plaque. And if there’s plaque, you have coronary artery disease: even if you feel perfectly fine.
Here’s where things get interesting for those of us practicing functional medicine in Memphis and the surrounding areas.
Standard cholesterol tests measure your LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. These numbers are useful, but they don’t tell the whole story. You can have “normal” cholesterol and still have significant plaque buildup. You can have elevated cholesterol and have completely clean arteries.
The cardiac calcium score actually looks at what’s happening inside your arteries. It’s not a prediction based on risk factors: it’s direct evidence of disease (or the absence of it).
Consider these facts:
This information is powerful. It can guide decisions about medications, lifestyle changes, and how aggressively we need to address your cardiovascular health.
Your results come in two forms: an Agatston Calcium Score and a MESA Percentile (which compares your score to others of the same age, sex, and ethnicity).
Here’s what the numbers mean:
| Score | What It Indicates |
|---|---|
| 0 | No evidence of coronary artery disease |
| 1-10 | Minimal evidence of plaque |
| 11-100 | Mild evidence of coronary artery disease |
| 101-400 | Moderate evidence of coronary artery disease |
| Over 400 | Extensive evidence of coronary artery disease |
A score of zero is fantastic news. It means your risk is very low, and we can focus on maintaining your heart health through lifestyle and preventive measures.
A higher score isn’t a death sentence. It’s information. Valuable information that allows us to take action before something bad happens. We can implement aggressive lifestyle modifications, consider appropriate medications, and monitor your progress over time.
This test isn’t necessarily for everyone. But it’s incredibly valuable for people who:
If you’re over 40 and haven’t had this test, it’s worth a conversation. Especially if heart disease runs in your family or you have any of the risk factors mentioned above.
At The Fatigue Clinic, we practice holistic medicine with a biology-based approach. We don’t just treat symptoms: we look for root causes and focus on prevention.
The cardiac calcium score fits perfectly into this philosophy. It gives us real data about what’s happening in your body right now. Combined with advanced lipid panels, inflammation markers, and other functional medicine testing, we can create a comprehensive picture of your cardiovascular health.
If your score is zero: We celebrate and create a plan to keep it that way.
If your score is elevated: We get to work. This might include nutritional interventions, targeted supplementation, stress management, exercise prescriptions, and when appropriate, medication.
The goal is always the same: catch problems early and address them before they become life-threatening.
One of the best things about the cardiac calcium score? It’s affordable. The typical out-of-pocket cost ranges from $75-150, even with insurance. For that small investment, you get critical information about the state of your coronary arteries.
Compare that to the cost of a heart attack: both financially and in terms of your health and quality of life. This test is one of the best bargains in preventive medicine.
Ready to take this step for your heart health? Here’s exactly how to make it happen:
Step 1: Schedule an appointment at The Fatigue Clinic. We’re located in Collierville and proudly serve patients from Germantown, Memphis, Arlington, and surrounding areas.
Step 2: During your visit, we’ll review your health history, risk factors, and determine if the cardiac calcium score is appropriate for you.
Step 3: We’ll order the test and coordinate with a local imaging center for your scan.
Step 4: Once your results are in, we’ll review them together and create a personalized plan based on your score.
It’s that simple.
Heart disease doesn’t always announce itself with warning signs. Many people discover they have coronary artery disease only after a heart attack or stroke. Don’t be one of them.
The cardiac calcium score is a quick, painless, affordable way to know exactly where you stand. It’s cardiovascular prevention at its finest: catching disease before it catches you.
Call The Fatigue Clinic today at 901-221-8621 to schedule your appointment. You can also visit our website at thefatigueclinic.com/contact to book online.
Your heart is too important to leave to chance. Let’s find out what’s really going on: and take action to protect it.
