Three years ago I was diagnosed with coronary disease, specifically Peripheral Arterial Disease. Calcium score was 895, but all other indicators (cholesterol very low, low BP, and very healthy heart with less than 10% blockage) are excellent and make me an outlier. My body simply produces a lot of plaque.
My question is how, if at all possible, can I maximize my oxygen delivery to muscles with the lower/reduced blood flow. Oxygen consumption by the muscles isn’t related, it’s the actual volume of blood and it’s subsequent delivery of the oxygen. For those not familiar, the condition is much like a clogged drain pipe - it flows, but not at the rate needed.
This condition can cause early fatigue, muscle weakness, and soreness. So, long way to ask anyone out there with medical background and perhaps tips on maximizing what I’ve got. I’m not young (60 years old), but generally very fit. It bugs the crap out of me to see threshold drop from 300-280-270W, etc, despite the commitment to training.
Can I ask you how the peripheral artery disease was diagnosed? Did you have an angiogram to look at the blood flow in your legs/heart? I’m assuming with the high coronary calcium score that you had a fairly extensive workup.
My score was 433 and I ended up with an echo and a CT angiography of the coronary arteries
Tallrunner - The diagnosis came about from x-rays when I was being prepped for carpal tunnel procedures. Baseline images showed the blockages in both forearms. Subsequently, all testing was done (calcium, echo, EKG, etc) and the end result is the peripherals were final landing point. Had a knee x-ray recently and of course the plaque was visible in the calf and quads. Just looking to continue to ride and “race” at my best for as long as possible.
If you’ve not already talked to a cardiologist, and/or vascular surgeon, then you should. Calcium build up in endurance athletes is different, in many cases, then it is among the general population. Like you, I had a surprisingly high coronary calcium score and I was very concerned about the possibility of coronary artery blockages. The angiogram showed I had ZERO blockages. Read up about calcium scores and endurance athletes (and discuss with knowledgeable docs). Endurance athletes can have significant calcium build up without the same risk concerns (but you have to be worked up thoroughly to make sure…ie, angiogram)
Oh, I have had extensive work done the last three years. I’m encouraged by cardiologist and primary to continue doing what I’m doing. But me wanting to be at 4W/kg versus what doctor’s see as dealing properly with the condition are two different things. I’m just looking for a peer that may have insight and comparable conditions.
I guess what I am trying to get ask is how do you know you have reduced blood flow to the extremities without an angiogram to show this? Or have you have vascular flow studies? None of the tests you listed will give you this info.
Just because you have calcium (plaque) in the peripheral arteries does not mean there is compromised blood flow. That is why I mentioned my coronary calcium score being high, and putting me in the 90% bad end for a cardiac event, but my angiogram proving this to not be the case. If you, or your docs, base the poor peripheral blood flow on the presence of calcium only then it is not precise.