About CAC Score
The Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score is a measurement obtained via computed tomography (CT) scans to assess the extent of calcification in the coronary arteries. This score is indicative of the burden of coronary atherosclerosis and serves as a predictive marker for cardiovascular disease risk.
Reference Values
Optimal Range
0 - 100 Agatston units (AU)
Elite Value
Not specified
Health Implications
{'high': 'Elevated levels may indicate an increased risk for coronary artery disease due to significant calcium deposition in the artery walls.', 'low': 'Low levels may be associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, reflecting minimal plaque development in the coronary arteries.'}
Symptoms
High
May include chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
Low
Can include dizziness, light-headedness, and fainting spells.
Lifestyle Factors
Specimen Type
Testing Methods
Also Known As
Scientific Sources
- 1. Hoori, A., Al-Kindi, S., Hu, T., Song, Y., Wu, H., Lee, J., Tashtish, N., Fu, P., Gilkeson, R., Rajagopalan, S., & Wilson, D. L. (2023). Enhancing cardiovascular risk prediction through AI-enabled calcium-omics. arXiv preprint arXiv:2308.12224.
- 2. Nasir, K., Cainzos-Achirica, M., Budoff, M. J., & Blaha, M. J. (2021). Coronary artery calcium scoring for prevention: A guide for the primary care physician. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 96(3), 692-704.
- 3. Hecht, H. S., Blaha, M. J., Berman, D. S., Nasir, K., Budoff, M., Leipsic, J., & Shaw, L. J. (2018). Clinical indications for coronary artery calcium scoring in asymptomatic patients: Expert consensus statement from the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, 12(2), 157-168.
- 4. Greenland, P., Blaha, M. J., Budoff, M. J., Erbel, R., & Watson, K. E. (2018). Coronary calcium score and cardiovascular risk. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 72(4), 434-447.
- 5. Arnett, D. K., Blumenthal, R. S., Albert, M. A., Buroker, A. B., Goldberger, Z. D., Hahn, E. J., Himmelfarb, C. D., Khera, A., Lloyd-Jones, D., McEvoy, J. W., Michos, E. D., Miedema, M. D., Muñoz, D., Smith, S. C. Jr., Virani, S. S., Williams, K. A. Sr., Yeboah, J., & Ziaeian, B. (2019). 2019 ACC/AHA guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation, 140(11), e596-e646.