Kevin Murray knows cardiac health up close. The Tampa father nearly died from an undiagnosed heart condition and required emergency bypass surgery in 2003. Now 72, he says that experience shaped his life and his vigilance about checkups.
After switching cardiologists in 2021, Murray received a cardiac CT — a rapid, noninvasive 3-D scan of the heart and coronary arteries. His scan was clear, but with a family history of heart disease (his parents and grandfather had all been diagnosed), Murray began urging his siblings to be screened. His brother Patrick, then 67 and experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, agreed to a scan in late 2022.
Patrick’s test revealed significant arterial blockages and a high risk of a major cardiac event. He needed immediate open-heart surgery. Patrick’s outcome prompted Murray’s three other brothers to get the same scan; each was found to have advanced heart disease and required surgery or procedures.
“We could avoid a real catastrophe, which is what we were on the brink of,” Murray said.
Dr. Mark Russo, professor and chief of cardiac surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says family history is the strongest warning sign for heart disease. People with multiple relatives affected should discuss monitoring options with their doctor.
The Murray brothers were evaluated by Dr. Alberto Morales, who has used Arineta’s SpotLight cardiovascular CT scanner on about 10,000 patients. Morales says the device images the whole heart and cardiac system in seconds, uses less radiation than a full-body CT and is noninvasive. Russo likens the test to a mammogram for the heart: it lets doctors see disease developing rather than relying only on risk markers like blood pressure and cholesterol.
“It actually allows you to look inside the heart and see disease developing,” Russo said. “With the cardiac CT and using a calcium score, you can actually look and see the disease developing in the heart, and [detect] it at a much earlier stage than most other tests.”
Morales estimates about 80% of patients he scans have no symptoms yet are diagnosed with heart disease by the cardiac CT. He cautions that people can have blockages of 80 to 90% without feeling symptoms. When disease is found, treatment can include medications, lifestyle changes, preventive procedures like catheterization to clear blockages, or surgery — all aimed at preventing heart attacks and other major events. In some cases, progression can be slowed or reversed.
Among the Murray brothers, Larry and Michael had open-heart surgery; Tim was close to a “widowmaker” heart attack and received three stents. All recovered and now follow up regularly with Morales.
Murray urges anyone who mentions cardiovascular concerns to consider a cardiac CT and has made sure his son and nephews understand their hereditary risk. Russo suggests using family gatherings to ask relatives about health history.
“You can change your diet, you can maintain your exercise regimen, but the genetics are a problem,” Murray said. “I was very grateful that the technology existed so they could determine that my brothers did indeed have problems. Now, they’re doing fantastically well.”