Does drinking caffine affect my calcium scoring?
Email
PrintAsk Kelly question:
Hi Kelly,
In early August this year, I had a calcium sreen. I am 49. The results came back very good. My question is the effect caffine would have had on the results. The appointment was late morning, and I had a diet cola before hand. My wife thinks that's cheating, and it probably skewed the results. Did it??
Thank you.
Ask Kelly answer:
Thanks for going to the heart blog and asking a question.
Glad to hear that your results came back very good on the calcium scoring, but I am wondering if that means that it came back zero, or low, or moderate etc. The point is to risk stratify you by your results, so you and your doctor can then know how aggressive to be with risk factor modification (cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, diabetes etc).
Caffine will not have any impact on the results of the test. You should have been given instruction to NOT have any caffine, before the exam, but this is not because it will alter the score. The caffine makes your heart beat faster, and to do the CT scan of your heart, we want your heart beating nice and slow. This allows for better pictures of your heart, so they are more clear and not blurry. We cannot get readable pictures if you heart is beating too fast, and then we actually have to give medications to slow your heart beat, or the test cannot be done.
Great question though, thanks.
