My father's sudden death from a heart attack revealed a health system designed to treat sickness, not prevent it. Despite a healthy lifestyle, advanced testing revealed my own hidden risk. Porter Health was founded to give everyone access to the personalized preventative testing they need.
It was an ordinary Sunday some 35+ years ago when my father suddenly collapsed. We didn’t know what was wrong. He was gone before we got to the hospital. He had had a heart attack - what I later learned is often called a widowmaker. It was devastating to my mother and our family. As a teenager, I was left grappling with deep questions: Why him? Why not his six older siblings? Why couldn’t the doctors "fix it"? Was this going to happen to others in our family?
I refused to accept the same outcome for myself. I spent my teenage years trying to get more medically literate, getting certified in CPR and emergency first aid. This passion led me from engineering to biomedical research in graduate school, where I immersed myself in cardiovascular, pulmonary and renal physiology. I learned how these vital systems work together and, crucially, how things can go wrong. We dissected animal hearts, and I saw firsthand how tiny the arteries feeding the heart are and how easily they could be blocked.
Through all this study, the nagging question persisted: could a heart attack be prevented, or was I destined to follow my father's path? For a long time, I believed it was simply a matter of personal care: diet and exercise. I ran regularly, ate well (aside from my ice cream habit), and kept my weight in check, convinced this would prevent coronary heart disease.
Despite my proactive approach and clear family history, my concerns were often dismissed.
"Don't worry," my doctors would say, "you're young and healthy. Your numbers look great."
And they did. My cholesterol was perfect; my blood pressure was superb. On paper, I was the picture of health. I told every doctor I saw about my father, ensuring his story was flagged in my record across multiple systems. I knew my outward health might be an illusion.
My true understanding of cardiovascular risk deepened significantly in 2015 when I met Dr. Mike McConnell. We instantly connected. He was an MIT graduate and shared my passion for physiology. He convinced me that the evidence overwhelmingly supports the fact that heart disease is largely preventable. A blocked artery is not a sudden event; it's the result of years of plaque formation.
He introduced me to advanced cardiac biomarkers and the Coronary CT scan and the resulting Calcium Score. He suggested that for a patient with my profile, a scan would check if any plaque was already forming in the heart's arteries and the biomarkers would help determine if I had any existing risk. It took until 2022 to get that scan. The result? It was non-zero. The disease had started, despite my best efforts with diet, exercise, and sleep.
If one were to only look at any of my blood tests or vitals from the last two decades, they would conclude I shouldn't be concerned. But I have two critical risk enhancing factors: an immediate relative who died of a heart attack and South Asian ancestry. These should have been enough to trigger additional testing or preventative therapeutics, such as a low-dose aspirin or a statin.
This is where the importance of acting on the latest research and guidelines becomes clear. Over the last 20 years, the AHA/ACC has added risk-enhancing factors to their guidelines and funded the development of new Cardiovascular and Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic risk scores like the PREVENT calculator.
"Our healthcare system is fundamentally reactive. It’s designed to treat sickness, not prevent it."
I don’t blame my primary care physician. Most PCPs are overworked, lack the time to master the latest specialist guidelines, and often face resistance from insurance companies regarding advanced diagnostic tests. The result is a system failing us all, leading to a false sense of security while silent killers go undetected. Everyone should be getting tested and assessed to understand their true health picture.
Today, I see a specialist cardiologist focused on preventative care and South Asian health. I’ve had the additional Lp(a), ApoB and A1C tests I should have had years ago. The cardiology team is fully aware of the current research and guidelines.
I founded Porter Health because I believe there is a better way. We want to ensure everyone has access to the comprehensive testing, analysis, and follow-up that defined my meandering health journey. While specialists like my doctor are rare and there are too few of them in the United States and the world, technology, including AI, can help democratize this level of care - creating essentially a virtual, more accessible version of this kind of specialist.
At Porter Health, we empower you to take control of your health. We provide access to the same advanced testing and in-depth analysis, guided by the latest guidelines and research, all of which revealed my own hidden risk.
You have the power to change your health story. Don’t wait for a devastating loss or a terrifying health scare to take action. Be proactive. Be demanding. Get the testing you need to understand your true health.
Explore our website to learn more about how Porter Health can help you take control of your health and thrive. And if you want to get your own assessment, please sign up for our waitlist.
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