What Causes Soft Plaque in Arteries and How To Reverse It

Can you really reverse heart artery disease?

In this episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, shares the remarkable story of a HealthspanMD member who thought he was doing everything right. Despite taking a statin, maintaining healthy blood pressure, staying active, and keeping his blood sugar under control, advanced imaging revealed he was still accumulating dangerous soft plaque in his coronary arteries. Dr. Hurst explains how plaque composition analysis works, why traditional cholesterol targets may not be enough for some people, and what happened when they implemented a more personalized strategy focused on achieving exceptional cardiovascular results.

Today's guest is a HealthspanMD member with a strong family history of heart disease who was committed to protecting his heart health. After advanced CT angiography revealed significant soft plaque progression despite years of following conventional recommendations, he partnered with Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE, and the HealthspanMD team to take a more proactive, personalized approach. One year later, his results demonstrated what may be possible when root causes are identified and risk factors are optimized.

Key Timestamps

00:03 – The patient's frustration despite doing everything "right."

00:45 – Understanding CT angiography and plaque composition analysis

01:32 – The concerning findings revealed by advanced imaging

02:15 – Why LDL goals below traditional guidelines may matter

03:00 – The strategy used to aggressively lower ApoB and LDL cholesterol

03:25 – One year later: the repeat CT angiogram results

03:45 – Soft plaque volume cut by more than half

04:00 – Low attenuation plaque reduced to zero