Plaque is the stuff of coronary heart disease. It is CONTROLLABLE, it is STOPPABLE, it is REVERSIBLE.
But you must be equipped with the right information on diet, nutritional supplements, and hopefully the avoidance of medication.
This is the blog that accompanies the 
I hear this comment from patients all the time:
“They told me that I had only mild blockages and so I had nothing to worry about.”
That’s one big lie.
I guess I shouldn’t call it a lie. Is it a lie when it comes from ignorance, arrogance, laziness, or greed?
“Mild coronary disease” is usually a label applied to coronary atherosclerotic plaque that is insufficient to block flow. Thus, having a few 20%, 30%, or 40% blockages would be labeled “mild.” No stents are (usually) implanted, no bypass surgery performed, and symptoms should not be attributable to the blockages. Thus, “mild.”
The problem is that “mild” blockages are no less likely to rupture, the eruptive process that resembles a little volcano spewing lava. Except it’s not lava, but the internal contents of atherosclerotic plaque. When these internal contents of plaque gain contact with blood, the coagulation process is set in motion and the artery both clots and constricts. Chest pains and heart attack result.
So, the essential point is not necessarily the amount of blood flow through the artery, but the presence of coronary atherosclerotic plaque. Just having plaque–any amount of plaque–sets the stage to permit plaque rupture.
One thing is clear: The more plaque you have, the greater the risk for rupture. But the quantity of plaque cannot be measured by the “percent blockage.” It is measured by the lengthwise extent of plaque, as well as the depth of plaque within the wall. Neither of these risk features for plaque rupture can be gauged by percent blockage. 
Coronary atherosclerosis is a diffuse process that involves much of the length of the artery. It is therefore folly to believe that a 15 mm long stent has addressed the disease. This is no more a solution than to replace the faucet in your kitchen in a house with rotting pipes from the basement up.
The message: ANY amount of coronary plaque is reason to engage in a program of prevention–prevention of plaque rupture, prevention of further plaque growth, perhaps even regression (reversal). It is NOT a reason to be complacent and buy into the myth of “mild” coronary disease, the misguided notion that arises from ill-conceived procedural heart disease solutions.
Image courtesy Wikipedia.
Copyright 2008 William Davis, MD
Change your life in 60 seconds
Yes, magnesium depletion can develop on high-carbohydrate diets, and it also aggravtes pre-diabetic tendencies.
However, while magnesium supplementation can reduce some of the consequences of mitral valve prolapse (such as abnormal heart rhythms), it does not actually protect the valve.
A bit confusing.
Dr. Davis wrote: However, while magnesium supplementation can reduce some of the consequences of mitral valve prolapse (such as abnormal heart rhythms), it does not actually protect the valve.
Very interesting! That would suggest that magnesium depletion may be a coincidental marker of something else that is the common cause of both heart damage and magnesium depletion. Much like in the serum cholesterol case, perhaps?
Dear Dr Davis,
You wrote: “Unfortunately, a heart scan will not be very helpful for the question of aortic valve disease. Yes, it can quantify calcium on the valve, but this is not a factor in determining when replacement is necessary, nor does it help track progression, unlike in coronary arteries.”
I’ve just found this article which suggests that the stenosis associated with bicuspid aortic valve can be reversed, and likens the progression of the calcification on the valve to that in atherosclerosis in arterial walls: http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/full/42/4/593
Can you comment on this please because if it were true then the strategies employed in Track Your Plaque would work for valves too wouldn’t they ?
with best wishes,
Anne
Anne–
The review you cite preceded publication of two studies that attempted to affect progression of aortic valve disease using high-dose Lipitor or Crestor. Lipitor had no effect; Crestor, 40 mg per day, did have a small effect.
Because the Track Your Plaque program does not track aortic valve disease, I cannot say whether or not it has any effects. However, it is probably small to none–with the exception of vitamin D. I have great hopes for vitamin D’s effect on slowing or reversing aortic valve disease. We are accumulating an experience with vit D, but it’s too preliminary to publish.
I saw my cardiologist today for my yearly echocardiogram. The pressure gradient across my bicuspid aortic valve has increased from 35mmHg to 38mmHg since last year which my cardiologist said was good….but he’s going to refer me for an EBCT scan ! And because I have private health insurance I should be covered…..they don’t do EBCT scans under the NHS here in the UK so I’m really lucky
all the best,
Anne
Dear Dr Davis,
I had the results of my scan today. There’s no calcification in the coronary arteries
But calcification showed up on the bicuspid aortic valve. My cardiologist said there’s nothing I can do about that because of the turbulent blood flow, but I’m determined that I will be able to halt the calcification or reverse it and I will be watching your blog for anything you write about aortic valve disease, especially when you write about your work with vitamin D and aortic valves. I’m currently taking 4000iu D3.
with best wishes,
Anne
Coronary atherosclerosis is a diffuse process that involves much of the length of the artery. It is therefore folly to believe that a 15 mm long stent has addressed the disease. This is no more a solution than to replace the faucet in your kitchen in a house with rotting pipes from the basement up.