The Cardiologist Who Hasn't Seen a Heart Attack in His Practice Since 2007

What if heart disease wasn't bad luck, but bad planning? In this episode, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE joins Carrie Camp and Hal Kramer of the Thrive at Home community for an honest conversation about what it really takes to prevent heart disease, stay independent as you age, and add healthy, vibrant years to your life. A Mayo Clinic–trained preventive cardiologist, Dr. Hurst shares why he left a system he describes as built to react to disease rather than prevent it, including the leadership meeting where, after he showed how prevention could stop heart attacks, stents, and bypass surgeries, a colleague asked, "But isn't that how we make money?" Together they dig into the questions people are quietly wondering about themselves: the truth about statins (who genuinely benefits and who may not), why insulin resistance may be the single biggest problem in healthcare, what "normal" cholesterol numbers can hide, and how high blood pressure quietly drives stroke and dementia. Dr. Hurst also explains the seven root causes of artery disease, why care that treats everyone the same so often misses the real driver, and how the right plan can stabilize and even reverse disease that's already present. If you've been told your labs "look fine," you're caring for an aging loved one, or you simply refuse to leave your heart health to chance, this conversation offers a clearer, more proactive path forward. Robert Todd Hurst, MD, FACC, FASE is a board-certified preventive cardiologist and founder of HealthspanMD. With nearly 30 years in medicine, including two decades at Mayo Clinic, he's dedicated his career to preventing and reversing heart disease through a personalized, root-cause approach helping people avoid preventable disease, stay strong, and remain mentally sharp for life. Learn more: HealthspanMD.com