A diagnosis of coronary artery disease, or CAD, should be taken seriously. But what does this mean exactly? CAD is the most common type of heart disease — 18 million adults in the U.S. live with the condition — roughly the combined populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and our fair city of Houston. In this episode, we explore how we can prevent CAD from ever developing — and potentially prevent it from ever leading to heart attack or stroke.   

Expert: Dr. Mahmoud Al Rifai, Preventive Cardiologist

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered: 

• What causes CAD — and who’s at risk 
• Cholesterol: the major culprit behind the development of arterial plaque  
• Why someone should take a CAD diagnosis seriously 
• The four types of heart disease prevention 
• How cardiologists calculate your risk for heart attack or stroke 
• Coronary artery calcium score: The CT scan that can show the severity of CAD 
• The differences between heart disease, cardiovascular disease and CAD  
• Can you reverse the effects of coronary artery disease? 
• Ways to control CAD risk factors to prevent heart attacks, stroke 
• How to move past guilt, shame after a CAD diagnosis to change the course of the condition 
• How to support a loved one with heart disease 
• How stress and mental health affects your heart health  

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