K. H. Sheikh, MD, MBA Fellow of the American College of Cardiology Diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Lipidology Heart disease caused by atherosclerosis affects 17 million Americans. Nearly 1.5 million Americans have heart attacks each year, 2 million undergo angioplasty, stent or bypass procedures and 700,000 die annually from heart disease. An additional 100 million Americans are at-risk for heart disease on the basis of having abnormalities in blood cholesterol. However, with the proper knowledge and tools, in nearly all instances heart disease can be prevented in those that don't yet have it, and reversed in those that already do. The U.S. national guidelines for the assessment of cardiovascular risk are valuable from the standpoint of public health policy, but in no way insure that on an individualized basis, you will get the best care. To do this requires you acquire the knowledge about what causes heart disease, understand the tools to diagnose and treat heart disease and then partner with your health care provider to develop your personalized plan to manage your heart risk. This book will give you the knowledge and tools to do exactly this. There is abundant scientific evidence that heart disease is almost completely preventable, controllable and even reversible by changes in diet and lifestyle. Heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis, the process by which fat deposits develop inside the arteries of our circulation system. Atherosclerosis is much more complicated than the common misperception that it simply involves clogging of the arteries with cholesterol. By understanding what factors promote atherosclerosis, and assessing your specific and personalized risk profile, you can initiate steps to not only prevent and treat atherosclerosis, you can actually reverse atherosclerosis. This book reviews the various heart risk factors and tells you how and to what extent they affect atherosclerosis. You will learn about which heart tests are actually valuable, which ones to avoid, and which ones to insist upon (even if your insurance company balks). You will learn the how, why, which and when about lifestyle interventions, diets, supplements, vitamins, medications, surgery and angioplasty. You will see insider information about where our medical system for heart care does very well, and where it does very poorly. How is it that the U.S. spends more on heart care than the rest of the world, and we still perform so poorly in heart disease prevention? Why do we so poorly in administering heart care to women, children, elderly and minorities? Dr. K.H. Sheikh is a full-time cardiologist practicing on Florida's Space Coast. Treating a sophisticated population of patients ranging from NASA astronauts, scientists, engineers, and technicians to motivated people just like you, Dr. Sheikh offers the same information and guidance that he has provided his patients who want to help themselves or a loved one prevent or reverse heart disease. Unlike many books on this subject which simplify the science of atherosclerosis, this book is sophisticated and advanced in the level of science presented, but presents the information in a common sense approach with practical applications. Once you understand the science of heart disease, the principles of prevention and treatment not only become clearer, but you can separate the many common misconceptions, myths and misinformation about heart disease prevention and treatment from what is accurate and scientifically proven. This comprehensive guide will help you understand heart disease, cholesterol metabolism and learn how to take charge of implementing your personal cardiovascular disease prevention, treatment and reversal strategies. If you are willing to make the effort, you will find the rewards will be a longer and improved quality of your life. These are the first steps so you "Don't Let Your Heart Attack!"