Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD 83. Dr. Joel Kahn: Why Most Cardiologists Are Missing the Real Causes of Heart Disease
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Aug 5, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Joel Kahn, a preventive cardiologist and founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity, challenges traditional views on heart disease. He highlights the inadequacy of the Framingham risk factors and introduces the $100 calcium score as a crucial test. Listeners discover how cooking methods can age arteries, the hidden dangers of advanced glycation end products, and the link between erectile dysfunction and heart health. Dr. Kahn advocates for plant-based nutrition and innovative strategies for comprehensive cardiovascular wellness.
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Heart Disease Is Multifactorial
- Cholesterol is just one of many factors causing heart disease; the 1961 Framingham risk factors are incomplete.
- Over 20 hidden risk factors exist, including inflammation markers, genetics, environmental toxins, and lipoprotein little a.
High Cholesterol, No Plaque Example
- Dr. Joel Kahn shared a trauma surgeon patient with extremely high cholesterol, lipoprotein little a, and ApoB but no atherosclerosis.
- Despite these risk factors, the patient had a calcium score of zero and a clearly CT AI study showing no plaque.
Use Routine Calcium Score Test
- Get a $100 coronary calcium score to detect coronary artery disease early, even if insurance doesn't cover it.
- A zero calcium score predicts very low heart attack risk for 10 years; maintain healthy lifestyle regardless.
