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“You just had a massive heart attack.” At just 29 years old, that’s the news Sam Prewitt got from his doctor. One of the main arteries to his heart was nearly completely blocked. He now views that experience as his second chance at life. “Moving forward, I have to protect my heart to be here for my loved ones and create even more memories. I want to encourage others to do the same because you don't know what you'll miss out on,” says the now 39 year old of Cleveland, Ohio. With a family history of heart issues, Sam found out he had high cholesterol in the eighth grade. At that age, he didn’t fully understand what genetically high cholesterol could mean for his future. “At 26, my cholesterol was so high I had a doctor tell me I wouldn't live to see 30 if I didn’t make changes. But I still didn’t think much of it because I was young and very active,” says Sam. He made adjustments to his diet, but it wasn’t enough. Sam had a heart attack in May 2015, caused by a 95% blockage in his right coronary artery. He had a stent put in to address the blockage and underwent cardiac rehab. Growing up, Sam recalls doctors saying familial hypercholesterolemia or FH was to blame for his high cholesterol. However, he says the name really didn’t stick with him until he started seeing our doctors. “In patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, the liver can’t efficiently clear LDL cholesterol, allowing it to build up in arteries throughout the body,” says preventive cardiologist Dr. Luke Laffin. Since working with his care team, Sam has significantly lowered his cholesterol by pairing healthy lifestyle changes with medications. “I like to call this breaking generational curses. There are things that may run in our families, but we don't talk about them. The curse is silence – we're not asking enough questions and being curious about certain things. But after I had my heart attack at 29, I thought, ‘This is where the cycle stops.’ I’m going to take this seriously, and I encourage others to do the same – ask those questions that need to be asked,” says Sam. More: https://cle.clinic/4tyEsMS