Every so often I meet a patient who reminds me why I never stop at “within normal range.” Numbers tell part of a story, but they rarely explain everything that’s going on inside the body. That’s where personalized medicine begins by slowing down, asking questions, and connecting what a person feels with what the data quietly shows.
Last year a man in his late sixties came in as a new patient to Timmons Wellness. He was healthy, active, and intentional about how he lived. He cooked most of his meals, exercised a few times a week, and stayed on top of his doctor visits. His cardiologist, who he saw annually, had said everything looked fine, yet he wanted to understand his cardiovascular health more completely.
When I looked through his labs, nothing major jumped out. His blood pressure was a little high, his cholesterol slightly above goal, but nothing dramatic. As we talked about his family history, he mentioned that his father had developed heart disease young. That small detail was a red flag that stayed with me. Over the years I’ve learned to trust that feeling.
Going Deeper with Advanced Heart Screening
Rather than repeating the same cholesterol test, I ordered a panel of advanced heart screening tests that included Apolipoprotein B and Lipoprotein(a). These markers give a clearer sense of how cholesterol behaves in the arteries and whether it’s likely to form plaque. They aren’t part of most routine panels, but in preventive cardiology, they often change the whole picture.
When the results came back, both numbers were high. Lipoprotein(a) is genetic. It doesn’t respond to lifestyle changes and it can quietly raise risk for years. Because of that, I suggested a Cleerly CT coronary artery scan to see what was actually happening inside his arteries. Again, the standard of care would be an EKG or stress test, which could still miss something.
The Moment Everything Changed
The scan results were startling. He had almost 90% blockage in his main coronary artery. He’d had no pain, no shortness of breath, nothing that would have sent him to the emergency room. This type of blockage is commonly referred to as the “widow maker” because few rarely survive the heart attack it causes.
I called him right away and explained what we’d found. I got him an emergency appointment with an interventional cardiologist and had a stent placed to restore blood flow within 48 hours. When he came back to see me again afterward, he looked relieved but also surprised. “I felt perfectly fine,” he said. “I never would’ve known.” I remember thinking how easily this could’ve gone differently if we’d stopped at standard testing.
Rebuilding Health
Once his heart was stable, the work shifted toward rebuilding. We started Repatha to help lower ApoB and keep plaque from forming again. Then we focused on habits that could stick. He began adding more fiber, filling most of his plate with vegetables, and choosing lean proteins and heart-healthy fats like fish, nuts, and avocado.
Exercise shifted from a grind to a rhythm. No longer pushing his body past max reps, he started training for longevity, balancing strength, endurance, and recovery. He lifted to stay strong, did steady cardio to support his heart, and played sports simply because it felt good to move. The improvement came slowly at first, but over the next few months his energy returned in a way he hadn’t experienced for years.
Why This Story Matters
Feeling “okay” doesn’t always mean being “okay.” True prevention means asking why something is happening and acting before symptoms appear. That’s the essence of root cause medicine.
This patient’s story shows what’s possible with concierge care. With my patients, we take the time to listen, use advanced diagnostics when they matter, and build a relationship that helps someone make real change. Medicine should be scientific, but it should also be deeply human. When those two pieces meet, we prevent disease — and once in a while, we save a life.
If you’d like to learn about how a personalized approach can help protect you or your loved one’s heart, you can explore my concierge programs and schedule a consultation.
