Kaushal Patel
WHY: At the young age of 61, I was shocked to learn that my coronary calcium score test was off the charts, despite living what I believed was a healthy lifestyle. I followed a clean, organic vegetarian diet (with some fish), exercised regularly, and maintained a healthy weight—everything I thought I needed to thrive!
I knew I was at risk due to my East Indian genetic makeup and family history of strokes and heart attacks, but the actual test result was the REAL wake-up call. It forced me to confront the reality that good habits alone weren’t enough to guarantee my health.
HOW: A friend, who had also been diagnosed with a high calcium score, introduced me to the Prevention Center. I decided to take immediate action and was impressed by the level of care, expertise, and dedication the team offered. Since then, I have never looked back.
RESULTS: What has stood out to me is the personalized and proactive approach the center provides. For me, it was not only essential to be on the right medications but also to have a team that truly understood my specific case and could help me navigate the complexities of my condition.
The Prevention Center has been the answer to this dilemma. Dr. Brea, in particular, has been nothing short of extraordinary. She is approachable, responsive, and incredibly detailed in her care. Over the past two years, she has not only made me feel heard and cared for, but she has also given me the tools to better understand and manage my condition. Thanks to her and the center, I have been able to dive deeper into the causes of my high calcium score, nutrition, genetic predispositions, and lifestyle—something I would never have achieved with just my regular cardiologist or practitioners. The center has given me a clearer, actionable path to minimize my risks moving forward. The advanced testing they do every quarter is a definite plus. I now feel empowered and confident in managing my health—something I didn’t feel before.
Joining this clinic was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my health.
Kim and Dana Kutsch
HOW: I heard doctors Doneen and Bale speak at several meetings, and I was impressed by their approach to systemic health and prevention rather than disease management.
WHY: My wife, Dana, and I decided we wanted that level of care for ourselves. We both have family histories of heart disease and wanted to understand where we stand health-wise and what we can do to live our best lives.My local physician couldn’t understand why we would travel to Spokane and have all these tests done regularly when we could "just take a statin drug and be treated by a local cardiologist after we had our first event... if we survived." We didn’t want a "first event." We wanted to do everything we could to prevent that experience.
RESULTS: Drs. Amy and Brea have personalized our care and monitor our vascular health several times a year. We now live with the confidence that we are doing the best for ourselves and plan to enjoy our lives for as long as possible. We've never felt better!
Joe Murcar
WHY: At age 60, when I met with my doctor for my annual physical exam, I asked if there were any other proactive measures to take to ensure my arteries and heart were healthy, even though I felt great. I’ve been an active runner most of my life, eat well, and take good care of myself. My cholesterol was always a little high, but my doctor stated that my chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years was under 10%, based on the “Framingham Risk Score.” My doctor recommended I schedule a “Coronary Artery Calcium Score” test. This score measures the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. A score of greater than 300 indicates extensive heart disease and a higher risk of a heart attack. My score was over 1,500!
After I met with my cardiologist, we scheduled a cardiac catheterization to measure my artery blockage. There was serious blockage in some of my arteries, but not enough to warrant any procedure. Since then, I’ve been on a statin and baby aspirin. However, up until several months ago, I was always worried about having a heart attack or stroke someday. My doctor said I would probably need open-heart surgery sometime in the next several years, even with the statin and baby aspirin. I was not educated on the difference between soft and stable plaque, nor about inflammation markers that are important to measure regularly, and what additional steps I can take to keep the inflammation under control.
HOW: When I learned about the Prevention Center through a running friend, I scheduled a meeting, read the latest book co-written by Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen, and was extremely impressed with their science-based methodology, which is medically proven to prevent and reverse heart attacks, strokes, etc.
RESULTS: I am now part of their program and getting tested regularly. I’ve made some changes based on my test scores and genetics to keep the inflammation markers under control, and my results have been great!