How Not to Die of Heart Disease: The Affordable Prevention Playbook

Heart disease is the top global killer, often striking silently, but it’s largely preventable with proactive self-advocacy. Focus on two pillars: affordable biomarker testing (especially ApoB) and imaging (CAC CT or CTA) to detect and manage actual plaque, then treat with targeted medications and lifestyle. Start in your 30s–40s, repeat monitoring regularly, and don’t rely solely on standard primary care guidelines.

Key Points

• Prevention is on you: the healthcare system is optimized for sick-care, guidelines lag science, and primary care often misses key heart risk signals.
• A small, affordable test set can change outcomes: track ApoB (top priority), key lipids, Lp(a), hs-CRP, metabolic and renal markers; get a CAC CT and consider CTA for plaque visualization.
• Imaging is essential to detect actual disease (plaque), not just risk; repeat every 1–5 years based on findings.
• Combine targeted medications (statins/ezetimibe/PCSK9s, ACE inhibitors, selective antiplatelet/anti-inflammatory, GLP-1s) with foundational lifestyle habits (Mediterranean-style diet, structured exercise, sleep, stress control, no smoking, minimal alcohol).
• Start early (30s–40s) and be your own advocate: ask for the right tests, review results with a specialist if needed, and monitor regularly.