Know Your Risk Before It Strikes
Your arteries could be hiding early disease. Find out today.
Heart attacks can affect even young, healthy, or fit people. Normal cholesterol, regular checkups, or family history do not always reveal hidden risks. The BaleDoneen Method focuses on testing for genetic factors, lipoprotein(a), and chronic inflammation while guiding lifestyle and precision medicine strategies to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems.
If you think you’re too young or too healthy to have a heart attack, a recent cautionary tale published in The New York Times may change your mind. The article’s author, Trymaine Lee, never considered himself to be at risk for heart disease until he suffered a near-fatal major “widow-maker” heart attack at age 38. “ ‘You hit the lottery,’ one of the cardiologists who saved my life told me,” wrote Lee, a physically fit nonsmoker with no family history of heart disease or early death. “The worst kind of lottery.”
The article also reports that rates of heart attacks have increased in younger adults. In a study of more than 28,000 people hospitalized for heart attacks between 1995 and 2014, 30% were between ages 35 and 54, with a 5% rise over that period in the number of younger heart attack victims. Here’s a look at common misconceptions about heart attacks and the facts you need to safeguard the health of your most important organ.
Myth: If your cholesterol levels are normal, you won’t have a heart attack.
Fact
A national study of 136,905 people hospitalized for a heart attack found that nearly half had “optimal” levels of cholesterol and nearly 75% had levels that fell within recommended targets. The blood test these patients typically receive sounds comprehensive: Known as a “lipid profile” or “coronary risk panel,” it checks levels of total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides.
As we recently reported, according to this test and other standard methods of evaluating cardiovascular health during annual checkups, celebrity fitness trainer Bob Harper was the picture of health, yet suffered a massive widow-maker heart attack at age 52. A year later, the mystery of Harper’s seemingly inexplicable heart attack was solved when he received a $20 blood test that is not routinely used by American medical providers. It checks for a common, inherited cholesterol disorder: elevated levels of a blood fat called lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a). We wonder if Lee has been checked for this dangerous disorder, which triples risk for heart attacks, according to three studies of nearly 45,000 people. Elevated Lp(a) also magnifies risk for having heart attacks or strokes at a young age.
Myth: If you had a heart problem, it would be detected during your annual physical.
Fact
Lee’s article reports that heart disease was never mentioned during any of his annual checkups, so he never worried about it. In a recent study of 3,501 young heart attack survivors ages 18 to 55, nearly all of the patients had a least one risk factor and 64% had three or more. Yet only half of the patients knew they were at risk before their event! Even fewer reported that their medical provider had ever discussed risk modification, such as lifestyle changes that might have prevented heart attack!
While we don’t know what technique, if any, Lee’s doctor used to evaluate his heart health, practitioners of standard care typically use “risk calculators” to estimate how likely their patients are to develop heart disease. However, a number of studies have shown that these calculators can be dangerously unreliable. For example, a 2015 study of more than 5,000 adults published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that most initial cardiac events do not occur in people considered at “high risk” based on these scoring systems. Lee would appear to be a case in point, since he reports that he does not have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or any family history of heart problems.
Unlike standard care, the BaleDoneen Method does not rely solely on risk factor analysis. Along with checking our patients for a wide range of red flags for cardiovascular risk, we also use advanced laboratory and imaging tests to directly check each patient for hidden signs of arterial disease, which often causes no symptoms until it becomes severe enough to trigger a heart attack or stroke.
Myth: Root canals are a leading cause of heart attacks.
Fact
A recent video on Netflix that references the BaleDoneen Method as the premier cardiovascular prevention program in the country misrepresents our teachings about oral health, specifically root canals. The video also asserts that root canal treatment is one of the top causes of heart attacks and claims, falsely, that we advocate removal of root-canal treated teeth. In reality, we take no position for or against root canals. However, our method does place a strong emphasis on oral-systemic wellness as a key component of heart attack and stroke prevention. In fact, your dental provider can be a potentially lifesaving member of your heart attack and stroke prevention team!
A recent BaleDoneen paper published in the peer-reviewed journal, Postgraduate Medicine, identifies oral bacteria from periodontal (gum) disease as a contributing and potentially treatable cause of heart disease. Ask your dental provider to check you for gum disease, a chronic oral infection that affects about half of adults over age 30. Also discuss the best ways to improve and protect your oral health. We advocate that cardiovascular prevention patients be tested for high-risk bacteria, using diagnostic tests that measure oral pathogens through DNA analysis, including OralDNA, OraVital and Hain Diagnostics. We also recommend that root canals be evaluated with 3D imaging to make sure that no hidden infection goes undiagnosed and untreated.
Myth: If heart disease runs in your family, there’s not much you can do to prevent heart attacks.
Fact
As discussed more fully in the BaleDoneen book, Beat the Heart Attack Gene, about 50% of Americans carry genes that raise their risk for heart attacks and strokes, such as 9P21, often called “the heart attack gene.” For more than a decade, our method has used genetic testing both to identify people at genetic risk for heart attacks and also to guide personalized treatments to prevent them, such as a diet based on your DNA. Our evidence-based, precision-medicine approach has been shown in two recent peer-reviewed studies to effectively detect, prevent, stabilize and even reverse arterial disease, helping our patients avoid heart attacks and strokes.
Moreover, a large body of research shows that an optimal lifestyle can dramatically reduce your risk for heart attacks, even if you carry high-risk genes. For example, a recent study of nearly 500,000 people with genetic risk for heart disease found that among participants at the highest genetic risk, those who got the most cardiovascular exercise (such as jogging, biking, running, brisk walking or other aerobic workouts), slashed their risk for heart disease by nearly 50%! Conversely, physical inactivity kills nearly 5.3 million people prematurely each year, another recent study found. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise regimen to make sure it’s right for you. For more research-based fitness news, also check out our blog post, “What’s the Best Exercise to Reduce Your Waistline & Heart Attack Risk?”
Hidden Risk Factors You Might Not Know About
Even if your cholesterol levels are normal, other hidden factors can put you at risk for a heart attack. Elevated lipoprotein(a) or chronic inflammation can silently damage arteries over time. Genetic variants like 9P21, sometimes called “the heart attack gene,” can further increase risk. These factors are often overlooked in standard annual checkups, which is why the BaleDoneen Method emphasizes advanced testing to reveal hidden cardiovascular threats.
The Role of Lifestyle in Heart Attack Prevention
Genetics are not destiny. Research shows that an optimal lifestyle can dramatically lower risk,even for those with high-risk genes. Key steps include:
- Engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise like jogging, biking, brisk walking, or swimming
- Eating a heart-healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and omega-3 fatty acids
- Managing stress and maintaining adequate sleep
- Avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol
Even people at the highest genetic risk can reduce their likelihood of heart attacks by nearly 50% by following these lifestyle habits.
Oral Health Matters for Your Heart
Your mouth can be a window into your heart. Periodontal (gum) disease increases inflammation throughout the body, which can accelerate plaque buildup in the arteries. The BaleDoneen Method recommends regular dental evaluations and pathogen testing, including OralDNA, OraVital, and Hain Diagnostics, to identify high-risk bacteria. Maintaining oral health is a crucial and often overlooked component of heart attack prevention.
Advanced Testing: Beyond the Standard Lipid Profile
Standard cholesterol tests don’t always tell the full story. Tests for Lp(a), ApoE, and inflammatory markers can uncover risks that typical lipid panels miss. Early detection allows for personalized interventions, including diet adjustments, medications if necessary, and lifestyle changes to prevent cardiovascular events before they occur.
Personalized Medicine: A Modern Approach
One of the cornerstones of the BaleDoneen Method is precision medicine. By combining genetic testing, lab results, and imaging, healthcare providers can create individualized prevention plans tailored to each patient’s risk profile. This approach ensures that even young, seemingly healthy adults receive the protection they need against heart attacks and strokes.
FAQs
Does everyone have heart disease?
No, but most adults have some degree of cardiovascular risk that can be assessed and managed.
How to avoid a heart attack?
Maintain a healthy lifestyle, control risk factors, and get advanced cardiovascular testing.
What does a mild heart attack feel like?
It may include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue, or mild pain in the jaw or arm.
What is the biggest reason for heart attacks?
Arterial plaque buildup and inflammation are the primary causes of most heart attacks.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/4627/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gum-disease-and-heart-health-probing-the-link
About the Author: Ed Price
