Calcium in arteries ups heart attack risk

Even when cholesterol is being controlled, increasing deposits of calcium in coronary arteries may increase the odds of having a heart attack. In a study of patients on cholesterol-lowering statin treatment, those who had a heart attack during 3 years of follow up had significantly more buildup of coronary artery calcium than those who did not have a heart attack, despite similar LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. Researchers from the Tulane University in New Orleans, USA, monitored calcium buildup in patients taking statins. Of the 495 participants with similar LDL levels and no symptoms, 41 had a heart attack during follow up. On average, these patients showed a greater and faster accumulation of coronary artery calcium than those who did not. The researchers noted that the risk of a heart attack was about 17-fold greater when calcium progression was substantial - more than 15 percent per year - than when calcium buildup was absent. The current study suggests that in addition to monitoring LDL cholesterol, doctors should also include some measurement of vascular health in the assessment of patients to have a clearer idea of his or her health status.