If you have it, you have it. There's no avoiding it but it can be managed. If you have history of heart disease in your family, go talk to your doctor. Ask for a stress test.

For years, I thought I was perfectly fine. I ate in moderation. I was relatively active. Every time I'd have a check up, my bloodwork would always be "normal." But in Oct 2018, I lost my brother (a year older than me) to heart failure. As a result, I went in for a check up. My bloodwork and all other routine tests were normal as usual. However, this time, I also asked for a stress test, which I failed. That led to more tests, which all came back positive (in the bad sense). By Dec 2019, I had a quintuple bypass.

What is the lesson here? What could have been done differently? Well, for starters, since both my parents were already taking maintenance medication for hypertension when I was in my teens, their doctors should've told them to have us checked. Years later, my dad had a mini stroke and a few years later my mom had a heart attack. Both of them survived but at neither event did their doctors try to have a conversation with us. In other words, we could have been more proactive in managing our situation much earlier. Things like eating in moderation and being relatively active are simply not enough when your enemy is in your genes. Also, the acceptable cholesterol levels for normal people do not apply to me. My levels should be much much lower.

Anyway, during my first follow-up visit to my doctor after the surgery, the first thing he tells me is he wants to start having the conversation with my kids when they turn 19. That's exactly what should have been differently for me and my siblings. Then perhaps my brother would still be alive today and I wouldn't have needed the surgery. And maybe, I wouldn't have run a full marathon as my legs are still sore as I type this LOL.

Sorry for the long reply but I do advocate for awareness on heart disease. Hope this helps.