The Future of Prevention is Now: Harnessing Personalized Medicine at Healthy Heart Cardiology
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It is a privilege to welcome you to Healthy Heart Cardiology, PLC, a practice dedicated to the advancement of cardiovascular well-being in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and our consultative location in Rochester Hills. My career, spanning over a decade in Interventional Cardiology, has allowed me to witness a remarkable transformation in our field. Today, more than ever before, we have the capability to actually prevent heart attacks and stroke before they occur.
My commitment, as a cardiologist board certified in Clinical Lipidology—currently the only one in the Grand Rapids area—is to translate the newest, most impactful research directly into clinical practice for superior patient outcomes.
The Cornerstone of Care: Determining Your True Risk
In the fight against cardiovascular disease (CVD), determining who is at the highest risk is the absolute cornerstone to saving lives. Our philosophy centers on uncovering "hidden" cardiovascular risk and lowering it through a multi-faceted approach involving diet, lifestyle adjustments, and, when appropriate, targeted medications.
For prevention to be truly effective, we must follow the principle of "primordial prevention"—intervening early enough to stop risk factors from developing in the first place. To aid in this, Healthy Heart Cardiology has long utilized advanced tools like the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) evaluation. Think of this as an "internal radar" that allows us to measure your arterial age and determine your lifetime risk, rather than just looking at your age on a calendar.
Cardiology in 2026: A Focus on Personalized Prevention
The year 2026 marks a transformative moment, driven by the shift toward precision medicine. We are moving beyond general assumptions and adopting models tailored specifically to your biology.
A major focus is the integration of genomics (the study of your DNA) into traditional risk assessment. This is where the Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) comes into play:
Understanding Genetic Risk: The PRS analyzes approximately 1 million genetic variants that reflect your inherited risk for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).
A Consistent Map: Unlike blood sugar or cholesterol levels, which can fluctuate like the weather, your DNA remains completely stable from birth. This means the PRS only needs to be measured once in your lifetime.
A Robust Predictive Model: Recent data (published in JACC in 2025) shows that combining the PRS with traditional biomarkers—specifically LDL cholesterol, inflammation markers (hs-CRP), and Lipoprotein(a)—significantly improves our ability to predict heart disease compared to using standard blood tests alone.
Changing Destiny: This approach provides us with invaluable predictive power. While a high genetic risk score may seem intimidating, it is not a "doom" sentence. Instead, knowing your DNA allows us to change your destiny by starting treatments years before a problem arises. This is especially vital for younger patients who may seem healthy but carry a high inherited risk.
Research Drives Results
Our commitment is evident in our deep involvement in cutting-edge clinical trials. As a Principal Investigator, I ensure our patients have access to innovations that target risks that traditional medicine often misses:
Targeting "Sticky" Cholesterol: We are investigating treatments for elevated Lp(a) (a high-risk genetic protein) in trials like OCEAN(a)-Outcomes, using new therapies like Olpasiran designed to stop its production at the source.
Extinguishing Arterial "Fire": We are studying strategies to manage inflammation (measured by hs-CRP) in the ZEUS trial, which evaluates whether "cooling" this internal inflammation can prevent future events.
New Directions in Care: From oral medications that lower cholesterol (CORAL REEF OUTCOMES) to therapies that help prevent heart failure after a heart attack (EMPACT-AMI), we are committed to finding the best tools for every patient.
Navigating Your Future
Prevention is like navigating a ship with radar in a dense fog. Traditional checkups give us a general map of where you are, but the addition of personalized genomics and advanced biomarkers acts as a high-resolution radar. It reveals "hidden icebergs"—the inherited risks you didn't know you had—allowing us to change course long before a collision occurs.
By starting early and using the best science available, we aren't just reacting to heart disease; we are preemptively shaping a healthier future.
Author Disclosures and Professional Affiliations
Sandeep Khurana, MD, FACC
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author, Sandeep Khurana, MD, FACC, and reflect the clinical approach utilized at Healthy Heart Cardiology, PLC. Dr. Khurana maintains an active medical license in Michigan and is an Attending Physician at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids. He is board certified in Clinical Lipidology, Cardiovascular Disease, and Interventional Cardiology.
As the practice of cardiovascular medicine relies heavily on translational research, Dr. Khurana serves as a Principal Investigator (PI) for numerous ongoing and past clinical trials. These research activities ensure that our practice remains at the forefront of medical advancements discussed in this blog post, which focuses on personalized prevention.
Clinical Research Disclosures:
The content of this blog discusses advancements in treating risk factors such as elevated Lp(a), inflammation (hs-CRP), and high LDL cholesterol. Dr. Khurana has served as a Principal Investigator for trials studying therapeutic agents related to these targets, including, but not limited to:
Lp(a) Inhibition: Serving as PI for the OCEAN(a)-Outcomes and OCEAN(a)-PREVENT studies, which assess Olpasiran (a siRNA inhibiting Lp(a) production).
Inflammation (hs-CRP): Serving as PI for the ZEUS study, which investigates Ziltevekemab (a MoAb that binds IL-6 Ligand) in ASCVD subjects with elevated hs-CRP.
LDL Cholesterol Reduction (PCSK9 and others): Serving as PI for trials involving various lipid-lowering agents, including Inclisiran (VICTORION and ORION trials), Evolocumab (FOURIER and VESALIUS trials), Oral PCSK9 antagonists (CORAL REEF OUTCOMES), and Bempedoic Acid (CLEAR-CV Outcomes trial).
Heart Failure Prevention: Serving as PI for the EMPACT-AMI trial, studying Empagliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor) in post-MI patients at risk of developing CHF.
These research activities are conducted across the practice locations in Grand Rapids and Rochester Hills, Michigan. This involvement is crucial for advancing the field of preventive cardiology and bringing the newest data into patient care.
The practice of medicine and the field of cardiovascular risk assessment are continually evolving based on new research, such as the UK Biobank data discussed (published in 2025). Readers are encouraged to consult with their healthcare provider for medical advice personalized to their specific situation.